Gabriel Jesus likely ACL injury forces Arsenal to make new offer for striker

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 14 Jan 2025 02:56 CST
• 4 min read

The knee injury suffered by Gabriel Jesus will force Arsenal into the market this month to sign a new striker.

That is according to Tuttosport, who report that the Gunners will now make a new push for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic to replace Jesus.

Jesus was forced off during Arsenal’s FA Cup third round defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates on Sunday.

There are serious fears that Jesus has become the latest victim of the ACL epidemic, with multiple physios and doctors suggesting that an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his knee is the likeliest outcome.

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Such an injury would rule Jesus out for the rest of the season and for as long as nine months.

Tuttosport reports that Arsenal will now up the ante to try and sign Vlahovic.

FootballTransfers reported on Monday that Arsenal have made a first bid for the Juventus striker but have had their loan offer rejected by the Serie A giants.

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Juventus open to sell Vlahovic

Juventus are open to offloading Vlahovic this month but will only do so if it is an outright sale, or at the very least a loan with an obligation to buy.

Vlahovic has a contract in Turin that expires in 2026 and renewal talks are not going well.

Vlahovic is the highest-paid player in Serie A on €12 million per season and Juventus are not willing to continue paying him that much given both his underpar performances on the pitch and the club’s new policy of lowering the wage ceiling.

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If a new contract can’t be agreed soon - which seems unlikely - Juventus will have no option but to sell Vlahovic in one of the two transfer windows in 2025 to avoid losing him on a free transfer in 2026.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a long-term fan of the 24-year-old, having failed to sign him in January 2022 when he left Fiorentina for Juventus.

Juventus are in talks to sign Randal Kolo Muani from PSG this month, although this is not necessarily related to the future of Vlahovic.

Like Arsenal, Juventus have struggled to create and score goals this season and are looking to bring in more firepower this month.