Arsenal Suffer Major Gabriel Jesus Injury Worry

Arsenal faced a significant setback on January 12, 2025, when forward Gabriel Jesus suffered a serious injury during the FA Cup match against Manchester United. Jesus was forced off the pitch on a stretcher after just 41 minutes, raising immediate concerns about the severity of the damage.

Following extensive assessments and specialist reviews, Arsenal confirmed that Jesus had sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury to his left knee. The 27-year-old Brazilian international was scheduled to undergo surgery in the coming days, with a typical recovery time of approximately nine months for an ACL rupture.

The timing of the injury proved particularly unfortunate, as Jesus had been in excellent form, having scored six goals across his last seven appearances for Arsenal. His absence leaves the club with only one recognized striker in Kai Havertz, creating a significant problem for manager Mikel Arteta as Arsenal continued their Premier League title challenge.

In response to the injury crisis, Arsenal confirmed they were actively working to recruit a striker in the January transfer window, exploring both long-term targets and short-term options. The club had previously sold striker Eddie Nketiah to Crystal Palace in the summer, compounding their forward line issues.

Arteta stated that the club would be "naive" not to pursue reinforcements in the transfer market, emphasizing the opportunity to improve the squad during the crucial January period. Jesus's injury added to Arsenal's woes, with fellow forwards Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri also sidelined at the time.