Gabriel Jesus is at the centre of a tug of war between bitter north London rivals Arsenal and Spurs.
Manchester City ’s 25-year-old striker is at the top of Mikel Arteta’s shopping list as the Spaniard looks to fill the void left by Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gunners are understood to be close to Premier League champions £50million valuation of the Brazilian marksman.
But Antonio Conte has made a move to shatter negotiations by offering Champions League football to Jesus, who netted 95 times in six years at the Etihad. Losing out to Spurs a second time in as many months - after Conte’s side pipped Arsenal to the Champions League - would represent a massive blow to Arteta’s transfer plans.
Conte is impressed by Jesus’s versatility as the Brazilian is as willing to play wide as he is through the middle. Jesus in turn would like to play more regularly having been an impact substitute for City boss Pep Guardiola and with both Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez arriving at the Etihad this summer.
The Brazilian, who's been away on international duty since the the Citizens' season ended, recently addressed transfer links by telling ESPN Brasil: “About my future, it’s still uncertain. I have a contract with City and I have already expressed my desire to the City people and to my agent. I have in my head [a very clear idea of] what I want.
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“Today, I want to celebrate a lot with City. It’s obvious that I’m very happy here. Tomorrow, if everything goes well for me, my wife and our family, [daughter] Helena will come to the world.
"So, I have to take advantage of this moment. Then, think about the team, smile at the team again. And, on vacation, I [will] decide about my future.”
Arteta still hopes that Arsenal can compete for signings on Jesus' level, despite missing out on Europe's premier competition. “We are going to have certain resources, not unlimited resources, some resources,” the Gunners boss said in May, preparing to lead his team into the Europa League come the autumn.
“And with our resources we have to play and do what we have to do in the best possible way. We don't know what the rest are going to have in terms of resources, which I'm assuming is going to be challenging because now it's not a top three or top four league. Now it is a top eight or 10 teams that are involved. That's why we have to find a way to do again what we did last summer.”
