Gabriel Jesus’ transfer to Arsenal is bad news for four players at the Emirates
Gabriel Jesus' arrival at Arsenal could prove to be bad news for as many as four of the club's current players.
The Brazilian's move to the Emirates Stadium from Manchester City was confirmed by the Gunners on Monday morning, as Jesus became the club's second summer signing for a reported fee worth £45million. With the arrival of Jesus, a number of current Arsenal stars could see their opportunities diminish next season, including Nicolas Pepe and Reiss Nelson.
With that in mind, here are four players who could see the signing of Jesus as bad news for their futures in north London.
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Reiss Nelson
Fresh from a loan spell in the Netherlands with Feyenoord last season, Nelson may have been confident he could reignite his Arsenal career this coming season.
The chances of that happening may now have been reduced with Jesus' arrival, with the English winger now dropping further down the pecking order at the Emirates.
Nelson may be forced to leave the club again this summer in order to get first team football, with up to six players for him to compete with for a starting birth in Arsenal's front three.
Nicolas Pepe
Club record signing Pepe has been strongly linked with a move away from Arsenal for much of the last 12 months, with the club thought to be ready to cut their losses on the Ivorian winger.
The 27-year-old started just eight matches across all competitions last season, prior to Jesus and Fabio Vieira's additions to the Arsenal attack.
Unlike Nelson, however, Pepe does not contribute towards the Gunners' homegrown player quota, further adding to the chances Jesus' arrival could lead to Pepe's exit from the club.
Lucas Torreira
Although he is not a forward, Lucas Torreira could be affected by Jesus' arrival due to the implications it could have on his chances at being named in Mikel Arteta's 25-man Premier League squad.
Jesus' inclusion in the club's squad list would take up one of the spaces reserved for a non-homegrown player, with Torreira arguably the most likely candidate to miss out as a result, given Arsenal's abundance of midfield options at present.
Although his loan spell with Fiorentina last season was not made permanent, Torreira could be set to leave Arsenal before the end of the summer, having not played for the club since July 2020.
Eddie Nketiah
The only player on this list who will not fear they may be sold after Jesus' arrival was confirmed, the signing could still prove to be bad news for Eddie Nketiah.
With both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having left the club this year, Nketiah had seemed set for a starring role next season after penning a new five-year deal earlier in the summer.
However, he will now be forced to compete with four-time Premier League champion Jesus for a starting berth next season, a prospect which could either hinder or inspire the former England under-21 international.
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