Chelsea transfer chief Marina Granovskaia should look to hijack Arsenal's interest in Gabriel Jesus in the summer transfer window. The 25-year-old, who remains open to leaving Manchester City, has been shortlisted by Mikel Arteta's side, football.london understands.
The Brazil international's representatives have held talks with the Gunners' transfer chief Edu over the past few months. And, with a shrewd proposition potentially on the table, Thomas Tuchel's side should look to engineer a deal of their own in a bid to secure the dynamic forward's signature.
Jesus, who sees his current contract at the Etihad expire next summer, has been excellent for Pep Guardiola this season despite his often bit-part role. The £45m-rated Brazilian, as valued by Transfermarkt, has featured 35 times for City this season, but has averaged just 59.3 minutes a game.
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Though, despite his sparse opportunities for the Premier League champions, Jesus has directly enjoyed a hand in 23 goals, with significant contributions against some of Europe's leading sides. This season alone, the Arsenal transfer target has found the net against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Jesus has grown to enjoy operating on the right-hand side of City's front-three in recent times, despite being a striker by trade. His dynamism, movement, positioning, and excellent all-encompassing goal creation ability profiles him as an exciting inside-forward.
Christian Pulisic has shown glimpses of fulfilling a similar role alongside Kai Havertz - the false-nine - and Mason Mount - the primary creator - in Tuchel's frontline. The American's effort against West Ham typified what Jesus could bring to west London.
The general consensus is that Havertz and Mount are nailed on starters in Chelsea's strike force; the third and final role - which ideally should be a direct inside-forward - is yet to have been indefinitely claimed. Whether Pulisic, Jesus or someone else, once Tuchel finds his perfect inside-forward, he'll finally be able to operate an attuned front-three.
