Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus is reportedly back in training with the senior team following his pre-season injury, according to a tweet from journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Jesus’ injury, for which he underwent knee surgery, was expected him to keep him off the pitch for ‘a few weeks’ – it was initially reported back on August 3 [via Sky Sports].
It is unclear if he will be available for selection in Arsenal’s game at the weekend against Marco Silva’s Fulham. Gunners boss Mikel Arteta may be best served by exercising caution in this situation – the last thing anyone wants is for the Brazilian to re-aggravate his knee problem.
In Romano’s tweet, he wrote: “Excellent news for Arsenal — as Gabriel Jesus is already back in training with the squad.”
Will Gabriel Jesus reclaim his spot in the first team when he returns?
This is a difficult question to answer. Eddie Nketiah has been doing a decent job in Jesus’ absence – so far, he has scored a single goal in the Gunners’ first two Premier League games of the 2023/24 season.
Nevertheless, he has also missed some gilt-edged chances – including a one-on-one against Crystal Palace, where he lofted the ball over the bar.
Jesus is not only Arteta’s first choice as his primary centre-forward – he simply has a wider skillset than Nketiah, not to mention a cooler head in front of goal.
With this being said, Nketiah will still be able to provide strong competition. For what he lacks in goal scoring prowess, he makes up for it with brilliant movement and excellent hold-up play.
Fans have been calling for Folarin Balogun to be given a chance in the first team – however, like Jesus, he is also currently out with an injury.
Which other Arsenal players are currently out with injuries?
Currently, Arsenal have Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Mohamed Elneny and Balogun out with injuries. It is not an ideal situation for the Gunners – especially in the case of Jurrien Timber, who is expected to be out for several months.
Arteta will need to manage his squad carefully in the coming weeks. Another couple of injuries could be disastrous – especially with their heavy playing schedule.
