Arsenal dealt major blow as Gabriel Jesus requires operation and could be out for ‘months’

According to reports, Arsenal and Brazil attacker Gabriel Jesus requires an operation to repair his injured knee and he could be unavailable for ‘months’.

The forward joined the Gunners in the summer from their Premier League rivals Manchester City. Around £45m was spent to bring him to the Emirates.

Jesus was enduring a goal drought in the weeks leading up to the World Cup but he still played a vital role in Arsenal’s superb start to the 2022/23 campaign.

His hold-up play and ability to bring his teammates into the game has helped Arsenal get the best out of the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Jesus’ form for Arsenal led to him being included in Tite’s 26-man Brazil squad for the World Cup.

Tottenham’s Richarlison played ahead of him in their opening two games but Jesus was handed a start in their Group G finale against Cameroon, with Brazil already through to the knockout stages.

The Arsenal man only lasted 64 minutes before being subbed off. It was suspected right away that he had picked up an injury.

It was later confirmed that he has injured his knee and that this will keep him out of the rest of the World Cup in Qatar.

Brazil head coach Tite has hit out at journalists for suggesting that he played Jesus despite him having a knee issue.

“Thank you very much for your question because I don’t like hearing lies out there, evil lies. Those are the people who want to do bad things for others.

“At no time whatsoever do we play for victory at the risk or peril of a player.

“So the liar who is out there, because that is what we call them, that’s the name? The haters who keep giving hate, go and do something else and stop giving fake news.

“Arsenal has a great medical department, we have a great medical department and we are responsible. We are personally responsible and ethical and it would never have happened. I didn’t want this to happen. It is a shame.”

The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath has now revealed that Jesus has ‘suffered suspected medial ligament damage’.

The striker ‘will need an operation to repair the problem’ so he is ‘set for a spell on the sidelines’.

It is noted that Jesus’ time on the sidelines is dependent ‘on how he heals’. But players who have suffered this injury in the past have taken ‘months to return to action’.

It has already been reported that Arsenal will not look to sign a replacement for Jesus in January. Instead, they are likely to rely on Eddie Nketiah and Martinelli to step up in his absence.

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