Arsenal's secret weapon? Mikel Arteta excited at return of 'very unpredictable' star player from injury

Repeated knee setbacks have stopped him from realising his full potential, and the striker, who knows his body all too well, guessed that he was staring at another lengthy spell on the sidelines. Subsequent scans showed Jesus had suffered a serious ACL tear. Now, after an almost season-long fight for recovery, the striker returned to full training, sparking fresh hope in north London. Arteta couldn’t hide his excitement when speaking about Jesus’s long-awaited comeback as he views the Brazilian as a dependable force who could add further spark to Arsenal's frontline. 

"I’m thrilled to have him," Arteta said. "I think he’s going to add something extra to the team that we don’t have, and make sure that very soon we see him on that pitch making an impact for the team. It's about making the steps day-by-day in a different surrounding. He's been doing everything on his own; now he's got players around him, very competitive players around him, and let’s see how he copes with that. But he's full of energy, I love the reaction of all his teammates when he first joined us and great to have him back."

Jesus' return couldn’t have been better timed. Arsenal’s attacking line has been hit by constant injuries and just when Arteta thought his forward options were finally stable, new problems have surfaced. Summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, brought in for £60 million from Sporting CP to add firepower, is now sidelined with a hamstring issue sustained in the win over Burnley. The Swedish international is expected to be out for around two weeks and will miss the clash against Sunderland. However, the international break will provide him with some respite. 

Speaking about the injury, Arteta said: "I am concerned because he hasn't had many muscular issues and he needed to leave the pitch and he was feeling something. That's obviously never a good sign, especially for a player that is very, very explosive. So we are digging in a little bit more to understand where we are in terms of the injury and we'll announce the moment we know."

While Arteta’s focus remains on fitness and form, rumours about Jesus’s long-term future have refused to go away. Reports from Mail Online earlier this month claimed Arsenal could be open to selling the forward, with Brazilian giants Flamengo and Palmeiras both interested in bringing him back home. Everton, too, are said to be weighing up an ambitious January approach. But Jesus himself has moved swiftly to quash those whispers. Speaking to Placar, as reported by ESPN Brasil, the 28-year-old was adamant that his future lies in north London. 

"Every day, the [Arsenal] coach and the board say they're eager for my return," he said. "I don't see myself outside the club's plans. I have a contract until 2027, and if it's not renewed by then, I'll be at the club at least until 2027."

That said, the Brazilian didn’t shy away from acknowledging his love affair with Palmeiras, the club where he began his professional career. 

"Palmeiras' interest will always be there, both from them and from me," Jesus said. "But there's been nothing formal. It's the natural interest of a kid who came through the Palmeiras youth system, went to Europe, and obviously wants to return one day. Everyone at the club knows that. I'm a player, and it's a little harder to say, but when I feel like returning to Brazil, which isn't the case right now, my desire is and always will be Palmeiras."

Financially, Arsenal find themselves in a delicate position after a lavish summer of spending close to £250m ($332m). The acquisitions of Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze alone have stretched the club’s wage structure, leading to whispers that certain high-earning players could be moved on to balance the books. They have already shipped out Reiss Nelson, Jakub Kiwior, and Albert Sambi Lokonga, and it remains to be seen if Jesus is deemed surplus to requirements.