Former Arsenal defender Johan Djourou tells Mikel Arteta to replace Gabriel Jesus with Man City flop
Former Arsenal defender Johan Djourou has urged Mikel Arteta to draw on his Manchester City connections again to find a suitable replacement for injured striker Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazil international underwent knee surgery after he picked up an injury at the World Cup earlier this month and is expected to be ruled out for up to three months.
Although he has scored just five goals in the Premier League, Jesus has had a galvanising impact on Arsenal’s forward line with his relentless pressing and selfless style benefiting the likes of Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.
Eddie Nketiah is set to deputise for Jesus in the coming weeks but with the transfer window set to reopen in a fortnight’s time Arsenal do have the option of signing a direct replacement.
The Gunners have, however, earmarked winger Mykhaylo Mudryk as their No.1 target but Djourou believes they should consider a move for Barcelona forward Ferran Torres.
After a difficult spell in England where he failed to settle, Torres has fared little better at Barcelona where he has struggled to cement a regular starting place and Djourou believes Arteta could help revive the talented forward’s career.
He told talkSPORT: ‘A player like Ferran Torres at Barcelona? That could be interesting.
‘But I don’t feel that Ferran has shown enough in the Premier League, or at Barcelona either.’
On the absence of Jesus, he added: ‘Mikel Arteta knows better [then me] what he needs and what he can do with the resources they have, but definitely Gabriel Jesus is a massive loss for them.
‘I think that the energy he brings to the team, even if he wasn’t scoring goals, just the fact he’s pressuring other teams makes him special.
‘And it’s hard to find another player like that.’
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