Striker Gabriel Jesus considers leaving Arsenal in 2026 with strong interest from Flamengo and English clubs

The future of striker

Hired in 2022, the Brazilian faces stiff competition in the offensive sector of the team led by Mikel Arteta. The lack of space, evidenced by its absence from the list of entries for the group stage of the Liga of the Campeões of the 2025/26 season, accelerated discussions about a possible transfer at the beginning of next year.

On the radar of interested parties, Flamengo stands out as one of the main destinations, closely monitoring the situation for possible repatriation. Além from the Rio club, teams from Premier League itself, such as West Ham and Everton, also carried out preliminary surveys, keeping the player as a valuable target on the European market.

Physical recovery dictates the pace of decisions

Gabriel Jesus’s rehabilitation process after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament has been long and meticulous. The injury, which occurred in January 2025, required immediate surgery and months of intensive physical therapy. Embora the player returned to training with the ball in August, the Arsenal technical committee adopted an extremely cautious stance to avoid any type of relapse, which directly impacted his performance in the team. The decision not to enroll him in the Champions League was a strategic measure to allow him to fully concentrate on his physical recovery, aiming for a full return to competitive activities only at the beginning of 2026. Seleção Brasileira.

Outstanding contributions despite adversities

Since his arrival at Arsenal, coming from Manchester City in 2022 for 52 million euros, Gabriel Jesus has demonstrated his importance to the team. In 96 matches played, he has accumulated 26 goals and 20 assists, numbers that demonstrate his ability to be decisive. Sua’s influence was particularly notable in the 2022/23 season, when he was a key player in the campaign that took the Gunners to second place in the Premier League, contributing with his intelligent movement and pressure on the opponent’s ball.

However, his performance was frequently interrupted by physical problems. Somando the recovery period from the injury suffered in Copa of Mundo in 2022 with the most recent injury, the striker was sidelined for more than 200 days in the last three years. Apesar of these forced breaks, he maintained a significant average of direct contributions to goals, proving his value whenever he was able to play and reinforcing the interest of other clubs in his football.

Internal competition in the Arsenal cast

The competition for a place in the Arsenal attack became even more intense with the arrival of important reinforcements. The signing of Swedish center forward Viktor Gyökeres, who quickly established himself as a starter, in addition to the presence of versatile players such as Kai Havertz and Ebere Eze, considerably reduced the space for Gabriel Jesus in Mikel Arteta’s tactical scheme.

This new offensive dynamic has relegated the Brazilian to a secondary role, a situation that does not match his career aspirations, especially with the proximity of Copa to Mundo in 2026. The need to perform regularly to be observed by the technical committee of Seleção Brasileira is one of the main factors that lead him to consider a change.

The London club, in turn, appears open to negotiating the player in January 2026. A transfer, whether on loan or permanently, could alleviate the team’s salary bill, which bears monthly salaries of approximately 8.5 million reais for the striker. Esse scenario creates a convergence of interests that can facilitate your exit.

Flamengo’s strong interest in repatriating the attacker

Flamengo positions itself as the main candidate to hire Gabriel Jesus if he decides to return to Brazilian football. The Rio club, now under the command of coach Filipe Luís, has been monitoring the athlete’s situation for several months and has already structured a loan proposal with a purchase option set at around 90 million reais.

The proposed business model includes the division of the player’s salaries with Arsenal, which would make the operation financially viable for Rubro-Negro. The club’s robust financial health, with projected revenue of 1.38 billion reais for the year, allows for high-caliber investments in the international market.

Initial conversations would have started in mid-2025, when Flamengo was looking for a renowned center forward in the European market. The possible arrival of Jesus is seen with great enthusiasm by the fans and the board, who see in the player the technical quality and experience necessary to raise the team’s level in competitions such as Libertadores.

Despite the strong internal competition with players like Pedro and Bruno Henrique, the sporting project presented by

Alternatives to staying at Europa

Although Flamengo appears strong in the dispute, Gabriel Jesus also has options to continue his career at Europa. Clubes of Premier League as well as West Ham and Everton have already carried out formal consultations with

For these teams, the Brazilian would represent a quality solution for their offensive sectors. West Ham is looking for a player with his versatility to complement the attack, while Everton sees him as the ideal piece to solve the irregularities in his offensive system. The main advantage of these alternatives is the chance to remain in the most competitive league in the world.

Staying at Inglaterra would keep Gabriel Jesus in a high-performance environment, something crucial to its ambitions to return to Seleção Brasileira. The final decision will undergo a careful analysis between the challenge of a new project at Brasil and the opportunity to reaffirm itself in European football.

Legacy on Manchester City as a reference

Gabriel Jesus’s successful trajectory at Manchester City serves as an important business card. Durante five seasons at the club, he scored 95 goals in 236 games, winning four Premier League titles under Pep Guardiola. Sua’s ability to adapt to different tactical roles and maintain a high level of performance in an extremely pressured environment has consolidated its reputation on the international stage.

This successful experience is one of the main attractions for interested clubs, who know that they are signing not only a talented player, but also an athlete with a championship mentality and accustomed to the biggest stages of world football.

The Copa of the Mundo of 2026 as the ultimate goal

All of Gabriel Jesus’s career moves are intrinsically linked to his main objective: to compete for Copa from Mundo in 2026.

The January 2026 transfer window will therefore be a decisive moment. Choosing the next club will be essential so that he can accumulate the necessary minutes and show his value to the CBF technical committee. Seja at Flamengo or at a new club at Europa, the priority will be to find a project that offers you protagonism and the ideal conditions to reach