Arteta Backs Jesus Amid Transfer Links: Arsenal Refuses to Discuss Palmeiras Proposal

Arsenal has dismissed a transfer bid from Palmeiras for their player Gabriel Jesus, declaring the matter as non-negotiable. Despite Jesus not having scored in his 11 games this season and only playing a full match once, he remains a valued member of the team under manager Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal has turned down a transfer proposal from Brazilian club Palmeiras for Gabriel Jesus. Despite his lack of goals and limited playing time, Jesus is still considered integral by Arteta, who has demoted him to a substitute role in the Premier League. However, there has been much conjecture about his future, with some suggesting Arsenal might be open to selling if their price of approximately £33.4m is met. Jesus is contracted with Arsenal until June 2027, and he shows a willingness to stay and compete for his position as the team pursues the Premier League title. The mutual sentiment was evident in statements from Palmeiras' president Leila Pereira, who had hoped to bring Jesus back to his former club. “Gabriel Jesus will not be joining us,” Pereira stated to ESPN. “We contacted Arsenal, and they responded, ‘Leila, there are no conditions. We will not discuss the player.’ "The subject is closed.” Jesus began his career at Palmeiras, playing there for two years before moving to Manchester City in 2017. He won multiple titles with City before Arsenal paid £45m to sign him in 2022. The Brazilian forward had a promising first season, but scored only eight goals in 2023/24, and a pre-season injury set back his start to the current season. His only full match was a 5-1 victory over Bolton in the Carabao Cup, yet more opportunities are expected, with a match against Preston upcoming. "He returned in great shape, probably the best he's been since joining us," Arteta commented. "He was performing well in pre-season, but unfortunately, he suffered an injury that affected him for several weeks. "He has worked hard to recover and now needs to regain his rhythm. He's played a few games, started consecutive matches against Atalanta and Bolton, and came on against Southampton. "So, he's here. Now it's up to him to prove he deserves more playing time. He has our full support, is capable of playing in various positions, and is indeed a crucial player for us."