Gabriel Jesus ‘to join Arsenal squad for Sporting Lisbon clash’
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus is reportedly set to travel with the squad for Thursday’s Europa League last-16 first leg against Sporting Lisbon.
The former Manchester City attacker is still waiting for his first appearance in 2023 after undergoing surgery to repair a severe knee injury following the World Cup.
Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have rotated in the central role during Jesus’s absence, with the Brazilian missing Arsenal’s last 14 matches in all competitions.
However, Jesus has been slowly stepping up his recovery at Arsenal’s London Colney training base, and in recent days, he has been working with the ball at his feet while being re-integrated into some aspects of team training.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is still refusing to put a timeframe on Jesus’s recovery, but according to The Sun, the 25-year-old will be on the plane for Thursday’s trip to Portugal.
The report adds that Jesus is “unlikely” to be considered for any minutes in the Europa League, but he will continue to ramp up preparations with the team in training.
A comeback in Sunday’s clash with Fulham is also expected to come too soon for the South American, who will most likely make his first-team comeback following the international break.
Arsenal welcome Leeds United to the Emirates on April 1 following the upcoming round of international fixtures, and the club are hopeful that Jesus will be able to earn some minutes in that encounter.
The striker hit the ground running in North London following his summer move from Manchester City, scoring five goals and providing seven assists in 20 games in all competitions.
Jesus’s imminent return will be music to the ears of Arteta, who could potentially be working without three of his central attacking options for Thursday’s first leg following injuries to Nketiah and Trossard.
Nketiah missed Saturday’s 3-2 win over Bournemouth due to an ankle problem, while Trossard was brought off on the 22-minute mark against the Cherries with a groin injury.
Initial assessments on Trossard’s injury have been reassuring, and he should return before the international break, but the Belgian is also expected to miss Thursday’s clash with Sporting.
Meanwhile, Nketiah’s ankle problem is expected to render him unavailable for the meeting with Ruben Amorim’s side, which could see Martinelli deployed through the middle this week.
Martinelli being shifted to a central role would open up a spot on the left for Emile Smith Rowe to make his first start of the season, with the England international also being bedevilled by groin and thigh problems this term.
Reiss Nelson is another candidate to feature from the off following his heroic last-gasp winner against Bournemouth, which kept Arsenal five points clear of Man City at the top of the Premier League table.
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