When Gabriel Jesus joined Arsenal in the summer of 2022 it felt like the missing piece had finally been secured. After years of searching for a striker who could blend work rate with technical flair, Jesus's arrival from Manchester City carried immense promise. He was not the traditional poacher, nor the kind of player who simply thrived inside the box, but he offered something different. He was an all-action forward who could press, combine, and bring others into play.
In his first months at the Emirates he set a tone of energy and invention, becoming a symbol of Mikel Arteta’s pressing system and helping Arsenal push Manchester City for the title. Yet, as time has passed, injuries have reshaped the narrative. His availability has become a constant concern and questions are beginning to arise about his long-term role in North London.
Performance Review
Looking back at his Arsenal career so far, Jesus has provided moments of real quality but never quite delivered a sustained run of dominance. His ability to create chances for himself and others remains valuable, yet his goal tally has not always matched the level expected of a leading forward in a title-chasing side.
The 2022–23 season began with fireworks as he scored five times in his opening nine Premier League matches. His energy in the press and clever link-up play with Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli gave Arsenal’s attack a fluid edge. But a knee injury suffered during the 2022 World Cup halted his progress and forced Arsenal to adapt without him for several crucial months.
He returned in time to contribute in the run-in, but the stop-start nature of his campaign was a theme that continued into the following season. The 2023–24 campaign saw him battle recurring setbacks, and while he showed flashes of quality including strong outings in the Champions League he never built the rhythm needed to be Arsenal’s consistent match-winner.
In 2024–25, just as he appeared to be regaining form with a Carabao Cup hat-trick against Crystal Palace and a brace in a Premier League victory over Leeds United, disaster struck again. An ACL injury in January 2025 sidelined him for the rest of the campaign and cast fresh doubt over his long-term durability.
These repeated interruptions mean Jesus’s Arsenal career can best be described as sporadic brilliance overshadowed by fragility. His contributions remain admired but his availability has too often been a question mark.
Tactical Fit
At his best, Gabriel Jesus epitomises what Mikel Arteta wants from a forward. He is relentless without the ball, leading the press with intelligence and intensity. His movement between the lines destabilises defenders, while his ability to drop deep allows teammates to exploit the space he leaves behind. Few strikers in the Premier League combine such tenacity with technical quality.
He is not a natural finisher in the mould of Viktor Gyökeres, who Arsenal signed to provide a more traditional presence up front. Instead, Jesus thrives when he can drift across the front line, pulling defenders wide and linking play in the half-spaces. This makes him less of a classic number nine and more of a hybrid forward who complements creative teammates.
However, this tactical versatility can also be a double-edged sword. Arsenal’s attack, while fluid, has often lacked a ruthless edge in front of goal when Jesus is the focal point. The Brazilian’s ability to create and disrupt is invaluable but his lack of consistent goalscoring has left Arsenal reliant on Saka, Ødegaard, and Martinelli for their cutting edge.
With Gyökeres now leading the line and Havertz also an option when fit, Jesus’s tactical fit is no longer as central as it once was. Instead of being the linchpin, he is drifting towards the role of a valuable alternative, a player who can change the dynamic of a game when required but is no longer the automatic starter.
Future Role
The future of Gabriel Jesus at Arsenal hangs in delicate balance. On the one hand, his skillset remains unique within the squad. No other forward combines pressing intensity, positional fluidity, and selfless playmaking in quite the same way. On the other hand, his repeated injuries have made it impossible for Arteta to rely on him as the long-term solution up front.
If he returns to full fitness his most realistic role may be that of a rotational forward, capable of impacting matches from the bench or stepping in during periods of fixture congestion. He could also serve as a tactical wildcard in games where Arsenal want to play with a fluid, interchanging front three rather than a fixed target man.
Reports have even suggested that his future could lie away from North London. A potential loan move back to Brazil has been mooted, with Flamengo linked to a temporary deal as Arsenal weigh up their options. Such a move would not necessarily mark the end of his Arsenal career but it would underline the sense that his days as a central figure are over.
Ultimately, Jesus’s future will depend on his ability to remain fit. If he can string together a season of consistent availability he still has the talent to play an important role in Arsenal’s push for trophies. But if the injuries persist Arsenal may be forced to look elsewhere for reliability.
Importance to Arsenal’s Future: 4.5 / 10
Gabriel Jesus remains a player of immense quality when on the pitch. His pressing, creativity, and unselfish work rate are difficult to replicate, and his presence still raises the level of Arsenal’s attack. However, his inability to stay fit for prolonged periods has dramatically reduced his importance to the club’s future ambitions.
With Gyökeres now leading the line, Havertz providing another option, and youngsters like Ethan Nwaneri pushing into the squad, Jesus feels less essential than he did when he first arrived. His role has shifted from cornerstone to complementary, and while he can still play a part in Arsenal’s success, he is no longer the puzzle piece that holds the attack together.
A rating of 4.5 out of 10 reflects that reality. He is still useful, still talented, and still capable of producing moments of brilliance. But Arsenal’s future, both tactically and structurally, no longer hinges on Gabriel Jesus.