"Why would he want to leave?" - David James urges Manchester City star to stay with Pep Guardiola's team amidst Arsenal rumors
Former England international David James has claimed that Manchester City will have enough room for both Erling Haaland and Arsenal target Gabriel Jesus next season. James thought that there was no reason for the Brazilian to leave, especially for a club that wouldn’t be in the Champions League next term.
According to transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano (via afcstuff), Gabriel Jesus does not want to extend his contract with the reigning English champions. Arsenal, who narrowly missed out on Champions League football in the 2021-22 season, have reportedly made him their “top target” for the summer.
.@FabrizioRomano on Gabriel Jesus: “He wants to leave Manchester City, he will leave this summer, he has no plans to extend [his contract]. Arsenal are still considering him their top target as striker. Youri Tielemans is the top target as midfielder.” [@podcastherewego] #afc https://t.co/PVsZs0XMfF
There is a chance that Erling Haaland’s arrival would take a toll on Jesus’ game time next season. James, however, does not see the Norwegian’s transfer as a problem, claiming that Pep Guardiola is likely to give the duo a “shared role.”
Speaking to Genting Casino (via Metro), James said:
“If you look at Man City players’ appearances this season, Bernardo Silva and Rodri have played 30-plus Premier League games. But all the players in that attacking line-up have played around 25 games, so they’re not playing every week. Pep’s (Guardiola) rotation has worked perfectly in the sense that they won the Premier League again.
“I’d imagine Haaland would fit into that mould, he’s not going to play every game. Also with his injuries, there are question marks over whether he is physically capable of playing all the games. Jesus will have a shared role if he stays at Man City. They aren’t going to buy Haaland and start him every game, so there is still room for Jesus."
James then questioned why Jesus would want to leave a club fighting for the Champions League to join a team that couldn’t even qualify for it.
The former goalkeeper added:
“Why would he want to leave? You’ve at the best team in England over the past five years, so would he risk it by moving somewhere else to Arsenal, who aren’t even in the Champions League?
“Or would he rather stay at Man City and try to get the Holy Grail, which is the Champions League?”
Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus could be a great fit at Arsenal
With Alexandre Lacazette running out of contract in June, Eddie Nketiah could be the only first-team striker with the Gunners. Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus is supposedly their top target and he could be a fine addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Fabrizio Romano: "Arsenal are waiting for answers from Gabriel Jesus after positive talks with his agent. He is the priority target for Arteta, but also interests other clubs. We can expect a final decision soon and Man City are asking for a €50-60m fee for him." [caughtoffside]
Jesus is a clever finisher, contributes to the team’s build-up play, and is a hard worker. He could not quite live up to his potential at Manchester City, which should make him doubly determined to succeed at Arsenal. In a World Cup year, Jesus needs to play as much as he can to be a shoo-in for Brazil's squad, which might not be possible at Manchester City.