Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has expressed his conviction that Gabriel Jesus is likely to leave the Emirates Stadium and that a replacement striker would be essential for the Gunners. Jesus, who joined Arsenal from Manchester City in the summer of 2022, initially impressed but has since struggled with fitness and inconsistent form.
Parlour believes that Jesus, at his age, will seek more consistent playing time elsewhere, which would leave Arsenal’s attacking options depleted. He harked back to his own playing days at the club, noting that Arsenal typically maintained a squad with four dedicated strikers.
Parlour’s Thoughts on Jesus’s Future at Arsenal
“I think Jesus might leave at the end of the season, he is at that age where he wants to be playing week in, week out,” Parlour told the Metro. “We could lose him. We had four strikers when I played. That’s what I don’t understand. (Regardless of Jesus leaving), bring in another one anyway. That can give the other options a lift because they see the standard being set.”
Julian Alvarez Tipped as a Potential Replacement
When discussing potential replacements, Parlour specifically mentioned Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez as an ideal candidate to join Arsenal’s front line.
While acknowledging Alvarez’s quality, the initial assessment (from the original source) raised questions about his recent form and potential cost, giving him a ‘TOTAL SCORE: 15/25’. The breakdown included:
- Transfer fee: *
- Performance: **
- Achievements: ***
- Career phase: ****
- Squad need: *****
Parlour remains optimistic about Alvarez’s suitability for Arsenal. “For me, Alvarez would be a great addition to the squad. There will always be people coming and going in the summer because it’s a big squad and they can’t keep everyone happy,” he stated.
He continued, “But Alvarez would be a fantastic option to have with his pace and what we saw at Man City. It was always going to be difficult for him playing with Erling Haaland there but when he did start and when he did play, he was always lively. He’s a young man too, so if he’s available it’s a yes for me. We know how Arteta likes to work with young players to make them better so I think it would be a great addition, definitely.”
