Gabriel Jesus has responded to the speculation suggesting that Arsenal will join the scramble for Ivan Toney in the January transfer window.
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Gunners linked with Bees frontmanArteta looking for more firepowerBrazil star convinced he can do the jobWHAT HAPPENED?
The Brentford frontman is currently serving a ban for breaching FA betting regulations, but will be cleared to resume his career in the New Year. Toney’s eight-month suspension comes to an end on January 16, with interest in luring him away from west London expected to have been shown by then.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT GABRIEL JESUS SAID
Arsenal are said to be in the hunt for another prolific presence – with the likes of Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Kai Havertz yet to fully convince – but the club’s current No.9 has said: “This happens you know, maybe it can be agents talking about a lot of things. I’m not the most experienced, but I think I have seen a lot of things in football. Sometimes it is like this, it happened when I was at City even with (Sergio) Aguero and me scoring. I was scoring a lot and people was linking everyone.
"So here, I don’t care about this. I know my qualities and I know what I can bring to the team. I can score and I can also help with other things, like opening spaces. But the only people who can see it are those who watch the game and understand. Those who don’t understand we will say that: ‘Oh he didn’t score today’. But maybe I run and open space for someone and, let’s be honest, I don’t miss a lot of chances. I think it is not about ‘he doesn’t know how to score’. Sometimes I have to be more in the box, that is the one thing I am working on.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Jesus recently stated while away on 2026 World Cup qualifying duty with Brazil that scoring goals is not his “strong point”, but the 26-year-old has sought to clarify that comment by saying: “I spoke after the game against Argentina – and people don’t understand sometimes and people took it out of context and said ‘Gabi, his strong point isn’t scoring’. I said this, but not in that way. I have other qualities as well, but I can score guys! Obviously I want to score every game, if it’s possible a hat-trick. But that’s not the reality. Now my main target is to keep fit because I know I can help everyone here. I’m sleeping better, I’m eating better.”
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
Jesus has registered five goals for Arsenal through 13 appearances this season – with his latest coming in a crushing 6-0 victory over Lens in the Champions League group stage – and he will be looking to prove his worth to head coach Mikel Arteta once again when the Gunners play host to Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday.