Gabriel Jesus has been told that he is not assured a position in Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup when he recovers.
The blockbuster summer signing for the Gunners has been informed that it is not guaranteed that he will quickly regain his spot in the starting lineup after recovering from an injury.
The Brazilian has been out since the World Cup after having knee surgery, but the Gunners might soon see him back in action.
During last Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Manchester United, Jesus was captured on camera conversing with UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov at the Emirates. The forward informed the Russian that he might return to the field in five weeks.
Although it may be good news for Arsenal supporters as their £45 million player appears to be getting back in shape at such a key time in the season, Gunners great Nigel Winterburn has claimed it is not a given that Jesus just waltzes back into the lineup.
When word of Jesus’ three-month suspension spread, many feared for Mikel Arteta’s team and their title hopes, but Eddie Nketiah, the team’s backup, has excelled thus far and maintained prospects of a first league championship since 2004 on Sunday.
The England Under-21 star scored twice against Manchester United in Arsenal’s most recent league game. His second goal of the game, a 90th-minute winner, helped the Gunners maintain a five-point lead over Manchester City, their closest rivals.
As Winterburn told Paddy Power, “Eddie Nketiah has been fantastic since coming into the team, which will mean that Gabriel Jesus will need to earn his spot back when he comes back from injury.”
He commended Nketiah for his work thus far and issued the warning for Jesus. “He’s doing a tremendous job, giving the team much more than simply goals with his enthusiasm and link-up play.
The question was whether Arsenal would search the market for a replacement for Nketiah, but this hasn’t happened. Eddie will be in the ideal situation if the team can provide him enough opportunities inside the box.
With his positional play and increased use of the box as an extra option, he will have gained a lot of knowledge from his time with the team this season.”
When pressed for comment on Jesus and a recent statement in which he suggested he would return in five weeks, Gunners manager Arteta remained mum.
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