Why Jesus could be the perfect forward for Arteta's Arsenal

 

Once it was confirmed that Alexandre Lacazette was leaving Arsenal, despite reports earlier in the year that the Frenchman would remain in north London, their intentions for the summer became obvious. Yes, the Gunners are close to agreeing a new deal with Eddie Nketiah, whose current contract expires at the end of the month, but ahead of their return to European football, they can't afford to head into the new season with just the 23-year-old on the books. 

 

In recent weeks, Arsenal have been linked with a host of strikers, with Victor Osimhen and Gianluca Scamacca two who have been earmarked as potential new arrivals in the off-season, but even with the duo supposedly on Arsenal's radar; Gabriel Jesus has always been viewed as the number one target to strengthen the frontline. 

 

Following the January capture of Julian Alvarez and summer arrival of Erling Haaland, there was a general acceptance that Jesus would leave Manchester City. Granted, 13 of his 21 league starts last season came from the right flank, but with Haaland set to be the focal point of the City attack in the coming campaign, those who largely operate out wide but featured through the middle will be battling for one of two spots on the wings in Pep Guardiola's favoured 4-3-3 setup. 

 

With competition for wide places increasing as a result, Jesus is set to find playing time even harder to come by under Guardiola next season. For a forward who started just 21 league games in 2021/22, you can't blame the Brazil international for wanting to leave in pursuit of further game time ahead of the winter World Cup. 

 

Arsenal weren't the only side credited with an interest in Jesus once it became clear he'd be up for grabs this summer, with Chelsea, Tottenham and Real Madrid all believed to be monitoring any developments at the Etihad Stadium, with City demanding around £50m for the the 25-year-old as per The Times. The same report suggests that the Gunners are confident of securing his services sooner rather than later, in what is a huge boost for Mikel Arteta's side. 

 

Despite missing out on a Champions League finish, Arsenal still have the power to bring in top quality stars this summer, with the north London side perhaps utilising their Brazilian contingent to lure Jesus to the red side of north London. What's clear though is that the Gunners are chasing a specific type of forward to help maintain that fluidity on the frontline, and crucially one that Arteta knows well from their respective time together at the Etihad Stadium.

 

Arsenal have one of the youngest attacks in the Premier League, with an average age that will have dropped following the departure of Lacazette. However, Arteta evidently wants a frontman who is not only able to get on the end of goalscoring chances to good effect, but to link up well with his attacking teammates, dropping deeper to allow the wide players the opportunity the chance to maximise the space vacated by the frontman. 

 

Bukayo Saka finished as Arsenal's top scorer in the Premier League last season, hitting the back of the net 11 times coming off the right flank, while Emile Smith Rowe (10) and Gabriel Martinelli (6) finished second and fourth, respectively, for goals scored for the Gunners. Seven of Smith Rowe's 10 goals came from starts on the left, while five of Martinelli's six were in the same role. 

 

The key quality a forward needs in this Arsenal setup, then, is a willingness to bring others into play, and Jesus' experience performing, and excelling from, the wing means he'd be comfortable pulling wide to ensure the likes of Saka, Smith Rowe and Martinelli are able to make darting runs into the box from wide to exploit any confusion in the opposition defence. 

 

 

In this instance, too, Jesus would be a handy outlet in the final third, and one more than capable of providing for teammates. Despite struggling for regular minutes, no Manchester City player registered more assists than Jesus (8) in the Premier League this season. Granted, just one of those came in 2022, but he isn't responsible for his teammates' profligacy and this didn't deter his push to add to this return. 

 

1.8 key passes per 90 was the fifth best for City in the Premier League last season, while only Kevin De Bruyne (16) and Phil Foden (11) created more clear-cut goalscoring opportunities than Jesus (8) for the champions in England's top tier last term. For an Arsenal side that didn't have an issue creating chances last season - 11.5 key passes per game was the fourth highest in the Premier League - Jesus' eye for a defence splitting pass should prove a further boost to this return. 

 

In terms of goalscoring, there is still work to be done to refine this quality to Jesus' game. He scored eight league goals last season, though four of those did come in a resounding 5-1 win over Watford, and returned a conversion rate of just 12.5%. Evidently confident in his ability to go for goal, a little more composure in the final third would be a benefit for an Arsenal side that hit the back of the net 61 times in the Premier League last season, a poor return relative to the number of chances created. That said, that is an improvement on Lacazette's conversion rate return of 8.7%, so at least Arsenal are heading in the right direction in that regard.

 

He is also a tireless worker off the ball and this willingness to get involved in the press high up the pitch means Arsenal will be able to operate with a higher defensive line to stifle opponents and force opportunities. Jesus won possession in the attacking third every 110.5 minutes, that the sixth best return for City in the Premier League last season. This is commendable, particularly when you consider that he was in an out of the City side, and thus unable to build up his rhythm to truly maximise his tenacity.

 

Jesus may not be of the same mould of the likes of Osimhen and Scamacca, in that the Serie A pair are better at getting on the end of chances rather than additionally creating them, but the striker's willingness to get involved in the build up, go for goal himself and work hard out of possession means Arteta doesn't have to tinker too much with the attacking system. They'll be adding a proven Premier League and Champions League experienced striker to aid their push for a top-four finish next term.

Why Jesus could be the perfect forward for Arteta's Arsenal