Arsenal: £47k-a-week star could replace Jesus at Emirates | OneFootball

Arsenal forward Gabrielle Martinelli ‘could play’ through the middle and replace the injured Gabriel Jesus, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Gunners are currently sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table following an outstanding start to the season but now may face a tough few months without their star striker.

Arsenal news – Gabrielle Martinelli

Jesus injured his knee in Brazil’s 1-0 defeat at the hands of Cameroon in their final Group G encounter, ending his World Cup campaign.

According to Brazilian outlet Sport TV, the 25-year-old could face up to three months on the sidelines as he requires surgery to fix the problem, potentially ruling him out until March.

And The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath has now confirmed that Jesus will need to go under the knife, which is not good news for anyone associated with the north London outfit.

It’s also believed that the Arsenal hierarchy are still undecided on whether to dip back into the transfer market to replace Jesus during January.

Eddie Nketiah is the only other natural option upfront for Mikel Arteta to choose from, although Martinelli has played in that position in the past.

What has Jones said about Martinelli?

Jones believes that Martinelli is capable of playing Jesus’ role in the team but questions whether the Arsenal hierarchy would want to move him from the left-wing.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, he said: “I’m sure Martinelli could play it, but the question would be, ‘do they want him to play that role every week when he’s been so good in different a different position?’

“Ultimately, Arsenal probably want to have players that are flexible in what they can do.”

How good is Martinelli?

Martinelli has been in impressive form for Arsenal this season, registering five goals and two assists in 20 appearances across all competitions.

The 21-year-old, who earns £47,000-per-week, has predominantly featured on the left-hand side throughout his senior career, although has played as a striker 14 times, according to Transfermarkt.

In those appearances upfront, Martinelli has found the back of the net on seven occasions, illustrating that he can be an effective force.

Nketiah will surely get the nod ahead of him initially, but if the Englishman fails to produce, then Arteta may be tempted to select Martinelli instead.