Arsenal legend Ray Parlour believes Gabriel Jesus will choose to leave the club at the end of the season.
The Gunners spent over £250million in last summer’s transfer window with Mikel Arteta assembling perhaps the strongest squad in Europe to end their long wait for silverware.
While competing on four fronts for the majority of the season has ensured plenty of opportunities around the squad, some have struggled for minutes, chiefly academy star Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Recent reports have claimed Arsenal may need to sell at least one first-team player this summer, with Lewis-Skelly at risk alongside Gabriel Martinelli, Ben White and Ethan Nwaneri.
But Parlour also believes Jesus, who has one year left on his contract in north London, could also ask to leave when the season comes to an end.
Should the Brazil international move on, Parlour believes another striker should be on the club’s shopping list this summer.
‘I think Jesus might leave at the end of the season, he is at that age where he wants to be playing week in, week out,’ Parlour told Metro via BetMGM.
Get personalised football updates every day
Sign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more about your favourite team.
‘We could lose him. We had four strikers when I played. That’s what I don’t understand. (Regardless of Jesus leaving), bring in another one anyway. That can give the other options a lift because they see the standard being set.’
The Gunners believed they had ended their long search for a prolific no9 when they signed Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP for £64million last July.
While the Sweden international has scored 19 times in all competitions this season, he has often struggled with the demands of English football.
Arsenal are among the clubs weighing up a move for Argentina international Julian Alvarez, who left Manchester City to join Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2024.
That deal was overseen by Andrea Berta, now sporting director at the Emirates. Any move would require an offer in excess of €100million (£87m) to even tempt Atletico into doing business.
Parlour, who won three league titles and four FA Cups as a Gunner, is a huge admirer and would back a move for the ‘fantastic’ striker.
‘For me, Alvarez would be a great addition to the squad. There will always be people coming and going in the summer because it’s a big squad and they can’t keep everyone happy. But Alvarez would be a fantastic option to have with his pace and what we saw at Man City.
‘It was always going to be difficult for him playing with Erling Haaland there but when he did start and when he did play, he was always lively.
‘He’s a young man too, so if he’s available it’s a yes for me. When know how Arteta likes to work with young players to make them better so I think it would be a great addition, definitely.’
No comments:
Post a Comment