Arsenal and Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus is set for months on the sideline as he will be forced to undergo knee surgery after suffering suspected medial ligament damage while on international duty.
The Arsenal striker, who has starred for the Gunners since joining them from Manchester City in the summer, felt pain in his knee and was taken off as a precaution on the hour mark during his side’s final group game against Cameroon, where the Selecao ultimately slipped to a 1-0 defeat.
He was subsequently ruled out of the tournament, and returned to Arsenal in order to undergo further scans. As per the Telegraph, however, the worst fears have been realised and he will require surgery
“It is understood that he will need an operation to repair the problem with the time out depending on how he heals”, they report, adding to earlier speculation that he could be sidelined for as long as three months.
It leaves the Gunners, who currently sit five points atop the Premier League, with only Eddie Nketiah as a natural option to lead the Arsenal line, though Mikel Arteta has also spoken of the potential for Emile Smith Rowe to fill the position if necessary, as he has done before.
It could also lead to a change in transfer policies for the Gunners, with suggestions that Mikel Arteta was in the market for a defensive midfielder and a winger ahead of this news. They could instead be forced to target a striker, while recalling young striker Folarin Balogun from French side Stade Des Reims is also thought to be an option for the north London side though it has yet to be explored.
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