Arsenal are reportedly on the verge of solving their striker problem with the £45million signing of Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian, 25, will look to breathe new life into his Premier League career after struggling to nail down a regular starting spot under Pep Guardiola.
We look at what the Gunners will be getting with their marquee signing.
Wanted man
Arsenal’s failure to qualify for the Champions League last season looked to have dealt a hammer blow to their transfer plans.
Pipped to a top-four finish by London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham, the Gunners were expected to find themselves at a disadvantage when attempting to attract the biggest names to the Emirates.
But with both the Blues and Spurs reported to have held an interest in Jesus, his capture represents something of a coup by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
The striker’s relationship with the former City assistant looks to have played a pivotal role, alongside the influence of technical director and Brazilian compatriot Edu.
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The missing piece
While their late collapse last season was undoubtedly a disappointment, there were plenty of positives to take from Arsenal’s campaign overall.
Following consecutive eighth-place finishes in the two previous seasons, fans were understandably fearing the worst when they kicked off 2021-22 with three straight defeats.
But over time, Arteta’s young side began to gel and missing out on the top four by just two points can only be seen as progress.
That rings even more true when you consider their lack of an out-and-out goalscorer for much of the season.
Former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left the club in January following a return of just four goals in 14 Premier League outings and questions remained over Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah’s suitability to take on that mantle.
Only Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe managed more than 10 top-flight goals for the North Londoners last term, with the closest challenger behind that pair being midfielder Martin Odegaard on seven strikes.
That made signing a prolific striker a priority this summer and with Jesus’ arrival, they will believe another top-four challenge is on the cards.
