Leon Osman believes Gabriel Jesus can be a ‘game-changer’ at Arsenal after signing from Manchester City, but he doubts Mikel Arteta’s Gunners will finish in the top-four positions.
Gabriel Jesus can be Arsenal ‘game-changer’ but top-four finish a doubt
Arsenal signed Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City earlier this summer for £45m. But while Leon Osman believes the forward can be a ‘game-changer’ at the Emirates Stadium, he has told BBC Sport the Brazilian may not be enough for Mikel Arteta to secure a top-four finish.
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The Gunners last finished in one of the Premier League’s four Champions League qualifying positions during the 2015/16 campaign. They finished that term as runners-up to Leicester City for the crown, before ending seasons in fifth, sixth, fifth, eighth, eighth and fifth again.
Tottenham Hotspur pipped their fierce north London rival for fourth place last term by just two points. The spot was also in Arsenal’s grasp with three games to go, having had a four-point advantage over Spurs. But losing to Tottenham and Newcastle United proved costly.
Arsenal have backed Arteta to now assemble a side they believe can claim a top-four finish in the new season. Jesus arrived from Manchester City to fill the void created after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette left the Emirates Stadium earlier this year.
Oleksandr Zinchenko also left Pep Guardiola’s stable for Arteta’s fold in a £32m deal, while Fabio Vieira joined from FC Porto for £34m. Matt Turner additionally joined from MLS side New England Revolution for £7.5m, while Marquinhos has arrived from Sao Paulo for £3m.
Leon Osman doubts Gabriel Jesus enough to take Mikel Arteta’s men higher
Jesus will share striker duties at the Emirates with Eddie Nketiah, following the Hale Ender signing a new contract. Arteta worked closely with Jesus while at Manchester City, where the 25-year-old hit eight goals and nine assists over 28 Premier League games last season.
But despite Jesus also enjoying a flurry of goals through pre-season under Arteta, Osman is unconvinced the forward is enough to take Arsenal higher and finish in the top-four places.
“Signing Jesus could be a game-changer for them,” Osman claimed. “A guy who will thrive at the top of that young developing team. But that’s the issue – they are developing, and I am not sure they’re quite there yet.”
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