Arsenal is ready to make official its fourth transfer this summer. After confirming the arrivals of Marquinhos, Matt Turner, and Fabio Vieira, the North London has a full agreement in place to sign Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City.
The cost of the move is estimated at $55 million, with Jesus accepting a five-year contract. The player turned down interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea to reunite with former City assistant Mikel Arteta, who’s now the Arsenal manager. The two worked together at the Etihad between 2016 and 2019. Jesus joined City in 2016 and went on to make 159 Premier League appearances for the Manchester giants, scoring 58 goals. The attacker had just one year left in his deal, so the transfer fee negotiated by City will surely please the club’s hierarchy.
Jesus will miss Champions League football for at least one season, as Arsenal is only qualified for the Europa League, the continent’s second most important club competition. The 25-year-old was an Arsenal target during the January transfer window too, but a move was not possible at the beginning of the year.
Jesus, who played for Palmeiras in his native country before being snapped up by City, represented Brazil on 56 occasions at international level, scoring 19 times.
How is Arsenal looking ahead of the new season?
The Gunners kick off the new Premier League campaign on 5 August, when they take on Crystal Palace. After the hits in the summer transfer window, the club will definitely invest all energy in securing Champions League status in 2023.
The bookies place Arsenal at +200 to finish inside the top four at the end of the 2022-23 Premier League season. Could Arteta’s revolution work to perfection and push his team to bid in the title race? Arsenal winning the league is at +4000. Defending champions City stand at -200, with Liverpool behind at +240 and Tottenham at +1400. Chelsea is further away at +1600, while Ten Hag’s Manchester United sits at +2500.
Arsenal last won the Premier League title in 2004. The club’s best finish in the last decade came in 2015-16 when they were runners-up. Last season, Arsenal finished fifth following two years in eighth place.