Report: Arsenal forward could be set to leave the club with Brazilian club interested | OneFootball

Report: Arsenal forward could be set to leave the club with Brazilian club interested | OneFootball

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·20 January 2026

Report: Arsenal forward could be set to leave the club with Brazilian club interested

Article image:Report: Arsenal forward could be set to leave the club with Brazilian club interested

Gabriel Jesus contract stance at Arsenal

There is a familiar undertone of fragility whenever long term plans are discussed around Arsenal these days, and Gabriel Jesus’s request for a new deal sits firmly within that mood. As reported by the Daily Mail, the forward has told the club he wants to extend his stay despite an injury ravaged spell that has fractured momentum and patience in equal measure.

At 28, Jesus finds himself at a crossroads. His contract expires next summer and interest from Palmeiras adds a layer of external pressure. Arsenal are understood to be open to selling, yet the player’s own words suggest a quieter determination to reshape his narrative in North London.


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Article image:Report: Arsenal forward could be set to leave the club with Brazilian club interested

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Injury shadow and unfinished business

The past year has been bruising. An 11 month absence with an ACL injury stripped Jesus of rhythm and status, leaving him to reflect on a career interruption he admits is unfamiliar. Speaking ahead of the Champions League meeting with Inter Milan, he said:“This is my fourth season at Arsenal and unfortunately I played maybe one-and-a-half or two seasons, and then the rest with injuries.That never happened with me before, but happens here (at Arsenal), I don’t know why.”

There is no melodrama in his tone, more a quiet reckoning with time lost and faith tested.

Desire to stay and compete

Jesus framed his ambitions simply, anchoring them to availability and belief.“My first target is to be healthy from now until the end of the season. And then obviously, like I said before, my wish is to stay at Arsenal.I have a contract as well. I want to extend my contract, I want to stay, I want to win trophies with Arsenal because I came here with a purpose and that’s it.”

It reads less like negotiation and more like a plea for continuity in a career defined by interruption.

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There is genuine affection for what Gabriel Jesus represents at his best, the pressing, the link play, the selflessness that helped lift standards during the early phase of the project. Many fans still remember the sharpness and authority he brought before injuries crept in.

Yet sentiment collides with reality. Arsenal are now operating at the sharp end of elite competition, where availability matters as much as ability. Supporters will sympathise with his honesty, especially when he says, “My first target is to be healthy from now until the end of the season,” because that feels like the crux of the issue. Faith has been stretched, not broken, but stretched.

A new deal would need to reflect risk as much as loyalty. Fans would likely support an extension that is incentive based, protecting the club while giving Jesus the chance to prove he can still be decisive across a full campaign. There is admiration for his desire to “win trophies with Arsenal,” but also an understanding that evolution sometimes requires tough calls.

This is not a rejection of the player, but a moment that tests how ruthless Arsenal are prepared to be in pursuit of sustained success.

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