According to Dean Jones, Manchester City would actually prefer to sell Riyad Mahrez than Gabriel Jesus, amid interest from Arsenal.
What’s the story?
Well, according to David Ornstein, Edu has been in talks with the representatives of Jesus for a while now, and a deal looks on.
However, if Jones is to be trusted, Pep Guardiola would actually be more open to losing Mahrez than the Brazil international.
Jones told Give Me Sport: “If someone from the front line was to move on, I’m told that Mahrez is the one they might be more open to losing.”
In our view, that doesn’t make much sense to us.
With the expected arrival of Erling Haaland, Jesus would have fierce competition in his natural role at centre-forward.
In that respect, it would make more sense to keep Mahrez, and play him to the right of the Norwegian in his natural role on the flank.
We can only imagine that Guardiola now views Jesus as an out-and-out winger, and believes he is capable of playing that role better than the Algerian.
Arsenal could lure either attacker from Manchester City
If Mahrez is the one put up for sale, and not Jesus, then Mikel Arteta may still be interested regardless.
Last year, Arsenal enquired about the former Leicester winger, but they were told by the Citizens that the £60m man was going anywhere.
In that respect, if Manchester City really would prefer to do a deal for Mahrez, then we’d presume Arsenal would be intrigued.
Had Arteta and Edu signed an alternative after being told no in 2021, then it would be unlikely.
However, the Gunners never actually found another option to Mahrez on the flanks, so that area of their squad remains weak.
Arteta only has Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Nicolas Pepe as natural wide men, and the latter could even depart the Emirates Stadium soon.
Keep an eye on things at the Etihad Stadium, as we could see Jesus or Mahrez – or both – swap Manchester for London this summer.
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