Manchester City could be set to lose Brazilian international striker Gabriel Jesus this summer as the club looks to revamp their forward line in what will undoubtedly be another major push for honors under Pep Guardiola in 2022-23.
With reports continuing to suggest that City is in pole position to land Borussia Dortmund and Norway international stud Erling Haaland, Brazilian outlet Lance! reported earlier today that Jesus is due to depart the blue half of Manchester in the summer window.
✅L!R: VAI SER NEGOCIADO? ✅
Gabriel Jesus deve deixar o Manchester City no meio do ano, e já tem um interessado no seu futebol. Dentro de campo, o City entra pressionado para retomar a liderança da Premier League.
Veja os detalhes e mais no LANCE! Rápido pic.twitter.com/OWFpSJwRtL
— LANCE! (@lancenet) April 20, 2022
At current, the former Palmeiras wonderkid is the only true centre forward at City but has hardly hit the heights that many expected from him after the club secured his services during the winter window of the 2016-17 Premier League season.
Jesus hit the ground running for City initially, scoring 7-goals and adding 4-assists in a debut half-season that was interrupted by a metatarsal fracture. He would bounce back in 2017-18 however, hitting 13-goals in the league and four in the Champions League, while his best season in a City shirt came in 2019-20 to the tune of 23-goals and 14-assists across all competitions (14-goals in the Premier League).
FBL-ENG-PR-MAN CITY-NORWICH Manchester City’s Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Norwich City at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England, on August 21, 2021. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Despite his level of talent that regularly saw him make the Brazil squad while earning 54-caps, Pep Guardiola has largely relied on a false nine over the last two seasons in the vein of players the likes of Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, or Bernardo Silva.
Barcelona is said to be interested in Jesus this summer as Catalan giants look to further recruit attacking reinforcements under Xavi, while Arsenal could also potentially be keen as the north London outfit is expected to lose both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah in the summer.