Gabriel Jesus, once hailed as a key figure in Arsenal’s attack, now faces an uncertain future at the club, despite having a contract until 2027. Reports from The Athletic indicate that Arsenal is actively seeking to strengthen its attacking lineup, potentially making room by offloading either Jesus or Eddie Nketiah. Edu Gaspar, Arsenal’s sporting director, has already initiated talks with potential suitors across Europe for Jesus.
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Havertz
The rise of Havertz no doubt shifted dynamics within the team, reducing Jesus’ role. Since the end of January, Jesus has been limited to just two starts in league games, and on three occasions, he didn’t play at all — a clear sign of his changing fortunes at the club.
In terms of performance metrics, both Jesus and Havertz record similar expected goals at 0.4 per 90 minutes, and both average six successful duels per game. However, there’s a stark contrast in their efficiency in front of the goal. Havertz boasts a 21 percent conversion rate of shots and has successfully converted 48 percent of his big chances. Meanwhile, Jesus lags with a mere 7 percent shot conversion and 30 percent in big chance conversions.
It’s April Player of the Month time 💪
🇩🇪 Kai Havertz
🏴 Ben White
🇧🇪 Leandro Trossard
🇳🇴 Martin Odegaard🗳️ Have your say and pick our winner 👇
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 30, 2024
Injury for Jesus
Addressing his ongoing struggles, Jesus revealed the ongoing impact of a knee injury he sustained during the 2022 World Cup. He openly shared, “In my best moment, one of my best moments in my career, I went to a World Cup and ended up getting injured and today I still have these little problems with my knee.” He continued, “It’s difficult, but my desire is always to be available for both Arsenal and the national team.”
As Arsenal considers the possibility of his departure, Jesus’ role appears increasingly peripheral, despite once being considered central to Mikel Arteta’s plans for the team’s rejuvenation.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
The first three episodes are available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel. Stay tuned for the upcoming releases as we keep telling this legend’s life story.
