Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus has played down speculation linking him with a move to AC Milan, insisting his priority remains staying in North London and renewing his contract with the Gunners despite not being the first choice for Mikel Arteta.
The Brazilian striker returned after a year-long Cruciate knee injury last month, and looks fit and ready to fight for his place in the Arsenal lineup.
The former Manchester City striker has scored three goals and provided one assist since his return and has been loosely linked with a switch to the San Siro as the January transfer window approached, with Milan reportedly exploring attacking reinforcements amid injury concerns and inconsistent form from some of their forwards.
Santiago Gimenez has been sidelined with an ankle injury since October, and Christopher Nkunku only got into a goalscoring groove about two weeks ago.
Reports suggest that Jesus could have been explored as a potential option if Nkunku departs, given the financial flexibility that would be created by the Frenchman’s exit.
However, such a scenario failed to materialise, with Nkunku ultimately rejecting approaches and Milan reassessing their priorities in attack.
Milan are monitoring Jesus, but no official contact with Arsenal has been made so far. However, last night’s brace against Inter Milan could tempt the seven-time UEFA Champions League winners again.
Speaking to the media after the win last night, the Brazilian centre-forward made it clear that his focus is to remain a North-Londoner beyond this summer.
“My desire is to stay here [at Arsenal] and renew my contract, but we haven’t talked about it yet,” the ex-Palmeiras man said in quotes revealed by calciomercato.com
Jesus’ words appear to shut the door on any immediate transfer speculation, especially with Arsenal still competing on multiple fronts this season. His current deal with the Gunners runs until the summer of 2027, and while renewal talks are yet to begin, there is no indication that the club are keen to cash in on the forward.
From Milan’s perspective, the financial aspect of any potential deal also poses a significant hurdle. Jesus is understood to earn around €9m per year in wages, a figure that would require a major financial commitment from the Rossoneri, particularly in a window where prudence has been prioritised.
Additionally, Milan’s need for a striker has become less urgent in recent weeks, with Niclas Füllkrug and Nkunku both finding form and contributing goals.
