
Arsenal
Premier League • England
David Ornstein confirms urgent Arsenal plans to sign striker after horror Gabriel Jesus blow

Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has suffered a suspected ACL tear and, inset, Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic
Arsenal are determined to sign a new striker this month David Ornstein has confirmed, in the wake of a more-serious-than-expected injury to Gabriel Jesus – and with the Gunners having seen a cheeky opening offer for Dusan Vlahovic fail.
The Gunners resisted the chance to bring in a new frontman over the summer with Mikel Arteta instead pinning his faith in Kai Havertz – who was offered a more central role – and Gabriel Jesus to carry their title hopes. And while Arsenal go into the midweek round of Premier League matches sat second, six points behind leaders Liverpool, a serious knee injury suffered by Jesus in Sunday’s game against Manchester United looks to have seriously dented their plans.
Ornstein has now confirmed Jesus, who went down clutching his knee during Sunday’s FA Cup exit on penalties to Manchester United, has now revealed the player has suffered a suspected ACL tear and faces months on the sidelines.
Writing for The Athletic, Ornstein has confirmed Jesus is ‘now set for a long spell out through a suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture – although it is his left knee rather than the right, on which he had surgery in 2022’.
Revealing the player now faces ‘Further specialist reviews on Tuesday to establish the full extent of the damage’, the journalist acknowledges that the loss of the 27-year-old ‘represents another major blow for Arsenal’.
Off the back of that monumental injury setback, Ornstein has now confirmed Arsenal plans to enter the market for a new striker with immediate effect.
At the same time, reports have revealed the Gunners have failed with a cheeky opening bid to try and prise Vlahovic off Juventus’ hands, having asked the Serie A giants about the prospect of a loan deal for the Serbian. That request was, understandably, very quickly denied by the Bianconeri.
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Despite Juve’s unwillingness to let Vlahovic leave on a dry loan, there remains some hope for Arsenal amid claims that the striker, who now has just 18 months remaining on his contract in Turin, will be allowed to leave for the right price.
According to Calciomercato, Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli is very much aware of Arsenal’s interest but is warning the Gunners it will take a fee of at least €60m (£50.5m, $61.6m) for them to cash in on the 24-year-old this month.
Even before Jesus’ injury came to light, Arsenal were seemingly in the market for a new striker this year, with Arteta finally accepting his side need a more regular source of goals if they are to challenge for the game’s top prizes. As a result, the likes of Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha have all been mentioned.
The Gunners have also been linked with a loan move for Evan Ferguson, which according to our transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher, is an avenue they are very much open to exploring now.
On that hunt for a new No.9, Ornstein wrote: ‘Arsenal do have some financial room to manoeuvre, while their desire to recruit both a striker and wide attacker is long-standing and has not receded.
‘The problem is the availability of players that manager Mikel Arteta wants, the level of cost involved and whether the options would represent an upgrade on existing personnel.’
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In addition to those strikers mentioned The Independent’s Miguel Delaney claims the Gunners could look to reignite their plans to sign Viktor Gyokeres this month.
And while it was previously suggested a move for the Sporting CP star would not happen until the summer, the injury to Jesus could accelerate Arsenal’s plans amid claims a move is being considered over the final two weeks of the window.
Newcastle marksman Isak, who has netted 10 goals in his last eight, also continues to be touted though a £100m-plus valuation warning has been issued to interested clubs which will likely deter any potential move.
Meanwhile, Arteta has seen a late move to beat Manchester United to the signing of a Paraguayan starlet fail, with the teenage star now set to finalise his move to Old Trafford.