Former Premier League midfielder Darren Ambrose thinks Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will need to delve into the transfer market following the injury sustained by Gabriel Jesus.
Jesus is out for several months after undergoing surgery on a knee injury he sustained while on Brazil duty at the 2022 World Cup.
His replacement at club level is Eddie Nketiah, who is a handy player but does not offer the same to the team as the former Manchester City striker.
There are now a lot of reports suggesting that Arsenal will try to sign a new forward when the transfer window re-opens next month.
PSV’s Cody Gakpo has been linked, as has Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, who snubbed a move to the Emirates last winter.
Gakpo is likely to join Manchester United in January, while the Red Devils are also believed to be targeting Vlahovic.
Former Crystal Palace midfielder Ambrose does not see Nketiah as a player who is on the same level as Jesus and believes Arteta could sign a new striker in order to maintain Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge.
Ambrose recalls the Gunners’ transfer business last January, when they signed nobody and ended up losing out on a top-four finish despite being in the driving seat for fourth ahead of arch-rivals Tottenham.
“I don’t personally think Eddie Nketiah comes in and gives Arsenal what Gabriel Jesus does,” Ambrose said.
“Potentially I think Mikel Arteta might have to look in the January transfer window, which I’m sure they will.
“You think of last January they didn’t sign anyone and I think that was there undoing towards the back end of the season when Spurs pipped them to the Champions League spot.
“I think they’ll have learned off that and will go big in this transfer window.”
While Ambrose reckons a new striker is the answer for Arteta and Arsenal, Danny Murphy thinks people writing Nketiah off are pretty disrespectful.
Murphy told the Daily Mail: “A lot has been made of the knee injury Gabriel Jesus suffered with Brazil, that might keep him out for a month, but I don’t think the Gunners will crumble, as some suggest,” he told the Daily Mail.
“Jesus has been important in Arsenal’s great run: he’s unselfish; works hard off the ball and sets the tone for the press. But he hasn’t scored in his last 11 games. So I don’t think Arsenal should be fearful of playing without him.
“Eddie Nketiah is a fox in the box and can finish. Arsenal’s next three games against West Ham, Brighton and Newcastle are all winnable without Jesus.
“It’s disrespectful to Arteta, as well as stars such as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and the other Arsenal players, to suggest one injury setback will make it a stroll.”
READ MORE: World Cup: Every Premier League club’s plan – training camps, trips and friendly results
