Gabriel Jesus could be set for a dramatic return to Brazil, with Palmeiras president Leila Pereira declaring her wish to bring the Arsenal striker back to his boyhood club.
The 28-year-old forward has endured a nightmare run of injuries since joining the Gunners in 2022, with his latest anterior cruciate ligament tear in January keeping him sidelined for the past 10 months.
Jesus has not featured competitively this season and, with Viktor Gyökeres now leading the line for Mikel Arteta’s side, the Brazilian’s prospects of reclaiming a regular starting spot look increasingly slim.
Reports from South America suggest that Jesus’ time in north London could soon be coming to an end. Pereira, speaking to journalist Paloma Tocci, made no secret of her admiration for the former Palmeiras star and hinted at a future homecoming.
“Of course Gabriel Jesus. And I’ll say more. Soon you’re coming back home, Gabriel! One day you’ll return,” she said.
Jesus began his senior career with Palmeiras in 2015, scoring 21 goals in 67 league appearances before Manchester City signed him for an initial £27 million the following year.
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He went on to win four Premier League titles across six seasons at the Etihad Stadium before joining Arsenal for £45m in 2022.
While Jesus made an encouraging start to life under Arteta, his progress has been consistently disrupted by fitness issues.
The ACL injury sustained earlier this year marked his second such setback, casting further uncertainty over his long-term role at the Emirates Stadium.
Everton are also understood to be monitoring the situation, while Flamengo have been credited with interest.
However, any January move could depend on Arsenal’s willingness to negotiate a fee for a player who still has time remaining on his contract.
Meanwhile, former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira believes the club’s summer recruitment has elevated them into genuine contenders.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “[Mikel] Arteta made a really strong statement by bringing those players. I believe Arsenal is part of those few teams that can win the Premier League. The players they managed to bring will put the quality of the team on a different level.”
Arsenal will look to extend their one-point lead over Liverpool at the top of the Premier League when they return from the international break, with a run of fixtures that could further strengthen their title credentials.
