According to sources in Brazil, Arsenal refrained Brazilian reporters from questioning club technical director Edu Gaspar about the club’s interest in the player.
Arsenal has identified Manchester City forward as a priority this summer, as the futures of out-of-contract underperforming duo Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah remain unknown.
The former Palmeiras striker scored four goals to help City maintain their Premier League lead with a win against Watford on Saturday, but he has said that now is not the right time to comment on transfer speculation.
Edu, a former Arsenal player who has been the club’s technical director since 2019, talked to the press in his country before the Gunners’ weekend win over Manchester United. Any queries concerning Gabriel Jesus, however, were said to be off-limits.
According to Brazilian publication Globo Esporte (via Sport Witness), Arsenal requested ESPN Brazil, with whom Edu talked at the weekend, not to question him concerning any interest in the Manchester City forward. They believe that their actions indicate a lot about the Gunners’ interest in the 25-year-old.
Gabriel Jesus’s four goals against Watford took his tally to 11 goals in all competitions. However, given his little playing time thus far, Globo Esporte believes his performance in the closing weeks of the season will be crucial in determining whether he stays or departs at the end of the campaign.
In the Premier League, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has frequently used the forward in a wide role, with the player registering a goal or assist every 97 minutes.
He appears to be more worried about his paucity of Champions League participation, having only played 191 minutes of football this season and starting only once, yet still succeeded in achieving three goals.
“No time to think about this,” said Jesus after City’s win on Saturday. “You expect me to say this, and it’s true. No time to think about this, now is the best moment of the season.”
“I want to enjoy it, keep focused on my teammates to fight for the Premier League. I’ve won with my teammates three times already, so I know how it feels and I want to again. We have a tough game on Tuesday against Real Madrid, a tough opponent. That’s my focus.”
He has one year remaining after the closure of the season, with his contract up in 2023, and if no deal is reached, he’ll be free to speak to prospective suitors from January next season. On the other hand, Guardiola stated that he had no idea what the future held for his frontman.
“I don’t know what is going to happen but he is a Manchester City player,” the former Barcelona manager boss told reporters after the Watford game. “When he has days like today, I am the happiest man in the world.
Every player is happy when they play 90 minutes all the time but at the end of the season whether he wants to extend, stay or leave, I don’t know and I don’t care.”
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