Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus is set to be out for an extended period of time due to a suspected ACL injury.
Jesus was taken off the field on a stretcher during the Gunners’ 1-1 draw against Manchester United in the FA Cup. They went on to lose the tie on penalties after failing to score a winner in extra time.
The striker looked in considerable pain, sparking questions over how long it will take for him to return from injury, a major blow for Mikel Arteta.
Jesus’ form improved dramatically after waiting until December to get his first goal of the season. He scored a hat-trick against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, which sparked a period of impressive performances.
However, after undergoing an assessment on his knee, Arsenal’s medical staff fear that Jesus may have suffered an ACL, meaning he could miss the rest of the season, leaving Kai Havertz as Arsenal’s only fit striker.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Gunners’ North London derby against Spurs on Wednesday night, Arteta said: “We know more now. It is not looking good at all.
“I don’t want to confirm anything until we have the final report this afternoon. We were very worried after the game and we are very worried today.”
The Arsenal boss said that the club are working hard at looking to improve the team in the January transfer window, with a striker surely becoming the absolute priority to add more depth.
“We are looking and trying.” He added, “Let’s see what we are able to do. When you recruit a player there are three parties. We also have our limitations, we can do what we can do.”
Who could replace Jesus for Arsenal?
Havertz is now the only available striker in the Gunners’ squad. Despite a great start to the season, the German’s form has cooled off in recent months.
He has scored 12 goals in all competitions this season, including seven goals in 17 Premier League matches. However, in recent matches, Arsenal have failed to take their chances on goal, and so may look to add a new striker to their ranks this month.
PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani would seem a simple choice, as he is available on loan after falling out of favour in the French capital. However, the Gunners would face competition from Tottenham and Juventus to land his signature.
Meanwhile, speaking of Juventus, Dusan Vlahovic is another transfer target that the Gunners could pursue amid reports linking him over a move to the Emirates. Either way, it seems almost imperative that Arsenal sign an attacker, especially considering that star winger Bukayo Saka also remains out injured.
