Arsenal faces a challenging period as manager Mikel Arteta confirms that the club is exploring options in the January transfer window following a suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury to their Brazilian striker, Gabriel Jesus. The forward’s injury comes as a significant blow, especially during a critical stretch of the season.
Jesus was stretchered off during the first half of Arsenal’s FA Cup third-round clash against Manchester United on Sunday. The match ended in a penalty shootout defeat for the Gunners, compounding their woes. Speaking on Tuesday, Arteta admitted the injury “does not look good at all” but noted that a full diagnosis is expected after further medical evaluations.
“I don’t want to confirm anything again until we have the final report this afternoon and I think it’s the doctor’s job to do that, but we were very worried straight away after the game and we are very worried today,” Arteta stated.
This latest setback adds to Arsenal’s growing concerns about their attacking depth. England winger Bukayo Saka remains sidelined, leaving the team without two of its key offensive players. Arsenal is currently the only team in the Premier League’s top six without a player scoring double figures this season, with Kai Havertz leading the tally at just seven goals.
Arsenal’s form has faltered in recent weeks. They have not won any of their last three matches across all competitions and now sit six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. The Gunners are also out of the FA Cup and face a tough task in overturning a 2-0 deficit to Newcastle in the League Cup semi-final.
