Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus subject of surprise interest from European giants: Reports

Italian giants Juventus have reportedly shown an interest in Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus as they look to bolster their strike force.

The news may seem surprising, particularly because the Brazilian has failed to consistently deliver for the Gunners since his £45 million move from Manchester City in 2022.

However, according to TuttoJuve, Jesus could be on-boarded as a temporary signing in the upcoming transfer window (via Daily Cannon). Currently, the player is contracted at the Emirates till 2027 and it could cost a fair bit to sign him permanently.

To make matters more interesting, the striker has struggled with fitness this season and has missed 16 matches across competitions. He's scored just four goals from 22 Premier League appearances in the 2023/24 campaign.

With the Brazilian's struggles in front of goal, the Gunners are also reported to be looking at other options to lead the line. They've been linked with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Ivan Toney, meaning that they could be willing to offload Jesus.

Additionally, Kai Havertz has also proven that he can play the role in the 27-year-old's absence. These circumstances could prompt Arsenal to let go of Jesus on a loan deal, where the striker could potentially regain his ability in front of goal.

That being said, the ex-Cityzen also provides versatility and could be used out wide, because of which Mikel Arteta may choose to keep him at the Emirates.

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Mikel Arteta reacts to title race question after Arsenal lose to Aston Villa

Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta believes that the title race may have swung in favor of Manchester City after Arsenal suffered a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday (April 14). The Gunners failed to grasp their opportunity to top the league standings and are now two points behind the leading Cityzens.

The match was significantly more important because Liverpool dropped all three points in their 1-0 defeat at Anfield to Crystal Palace earlier in the day. After his team's loss, Arteta said (via Football London):

"Yeah that's a possibility (the title race is in Manchester City's hands). That's the reality now. It's been the same for a few months. We knew this moment could come and now it's about reacting and keeping believing and doing what we can do."

Up next for Arsenal is another important challenge against Bayern Munich in their second-leg quarter-final UEFA Champions League tie in midweek (April 17). The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw.