“We are not going to negotiate on the player” - Arsenal turn down offer for 27-year-old star
Palmeiras president Leila Pereira has stated that Arsenal have no desire to offload Gabriel Jesus at the moment. The 27-year-old is a peripheral figure at the Emirates and the Brazilian club are eager to sign their former player next year.
Jesus is yet to register a goal or an assist from 11 games across competitions this season for the Gunners. Recent reports suggested that the north London side would be open to his departure in January for a fee of £33.4m.
However, it now appears that Arsenal have him firmly in their plans for the moment. The player also wants to stay and fight for his place in the team, and isn't ready to throw in the towel just yet.
Speaking to ESPN, Pereira added that the Gunners have no desire to enter negotiations for the Brazilian.
“Gabriel Jesus is not coming. We got in touch with Arsenal, and they said ‘Leila, there are no conditions whatsoever. We are not going to negotiate on the player.’ The subject is closed,” said Pereira.
Jesus started his career with Palmeiras before moving to Manchester City in 2017. He enjoyed tremendous success at the Etihad before the Gunners came calling in 2022.
The north London side reportedly paid £45m for his services, but the player has failed to live up to expectations. Last season, Gabriel Jesus found the back of the net just eight times in 36 games for Arsenal. The Gunners, interestingly, scored 91 goals in the Premier League.
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Arsenal were inches away from winning the Premier League last season, but ended up in second place behind Manchester City. Mikel Arteta's team finished two points behind the champions and were eager to sign a new striker over the summer.
Benjamin Sesko was on their radar, but the Slovenian opted to extend his stay with RB Leipzig instead. The Gunners opted not to sign a new No. 9 before the end of the transfer window and may already be ruing that decision.
Arteta's team are third in the table at the moment, and appear to be engaged in a three-horse race for the title. They are five points behind Manchester City at the top, with Pep Guardiola's team once again banking on Erling Haaland's immaculate goalscoring abilities.
As such, the north London side are likely to address the situation at the end of this season. A return for Sesko, who could leave the Red Bull Arena next summer, cannot be ruled out.