Arsenal are looking to spend money in the January transfer window and could sell one of their big-name assets as a source of mid-season income for Mikel Arteta.
Mikel Arteta tries to cope with Martin Odegaard’s absence from Arsenal
Martin Odegaard’s recent injury hasn’t been ideal for Arsenal, but they managed to cope without their club captain as the North Londoners secured an important win against Fulham tonight.
Arteta has several players in the engine room who can replicate the Norwegian’s impact. Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze, for example, have had successful campaigns in their respective roles, while youngster Ethan Nwaneri has the chance to get more minutes in Odegaard’s absence.
That said, Odegaard will be sidelined and Arsenal needed more dead-ball situations to secure a narrow 1-0 win at Craven Cottage.
Arteta praised his mental strength in the face of yet another frustrating blow, following a setback shortly after recovering from a shoulder problem.
“I think he’s in a really good situation,” Arteta said.
“Obviously I’m disappointed that something like this happened. The good thing is that he’s doing everything he can to prevent injury. The injury that he sustained is very difficult to prevent. So it’s just a matter of having to lighten the burden on himself and that’s it, so he can’t afford to think otherwise.”
Injuries are part of football, after all, and Arsenal understand better than anyone the impact they can have, as seen with the long-term absences of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.
Some have argued that the duo’s long absences cost the Gunners the Premier League title last season, but it looks like it will be a long game this time around, raising hopes of seeing what they can achieve.
Still, the team may need surgery in January to ensure Arteta can find the right balance to return North London to their first league title since 2004, which could lead to an interesting exit.
Arsenal in talks to sell Gabriel Jesus
Arsenal could sell striker Jesus to Flamengo, according to reports in Spain, with the Brazilian side having “started negotiations” over a deal that could fetch the Gunners a transfer fee of around £26m.
Still, the Brazil international’s price, not to mention his £265,000-a-week wage, could be a sticking point in negotiations, although Arteta has given himself plenty of time to work out the formula after putting the experienced forward on sale ahead of the January transfer window.
Gabriel Jesus and his goalscoring record for Arsenal | |
Appearance | 96 |
the goal | 26 |
assist | 20 |
A loan move or permanent departure is open to Jesus, who is thought to be considering a fresh start in South America with the hope of joining Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Of course, the former Manchester City man has not featured since tearing his cruciate ligament at the start of 2025, so it would make sense for Arsenal to try to recover as much as possible while working their way back to full fitness.
Viktor Gokeres will develop over time, and Havertz will soon return from injury, creating a natural situation in which Jesus’ departure would suit all parties.