Gabriel Jesus has expressed his desire to return to his former club Palmeiras after a difficult injury-plagued spell at Arsenal. The Brazilian forward, who moved to the Emirates Stadium from Manchester City in 2022, has had a number of injuries that have limited him to just 96 appearances, scoring 26 goals.
However, a move away from Arsenal does not seem imminent at the moment. Jesus, 28, has stated that his desire is to return to Palmeiras, but only when the time is right. He said:
"I have never had contact with any other club, and my desire, as I say, is to return to Palmeiras. Palmeiras' desire is for me to return."
Arsenal spent €45m on Jesus, but with injuries and competition in the squad, he has fallen down the pecking order for manager Mikel Arteta. Arteta has expressed his desire to keep Jesus in the squad, describing him as an unpredictable and energetic player who would contribute to his return to form after a long spell out with injury.
"When I feel it's time to return to Palmeiras, then we will decide it with Arsenal. We are talking about a player who has been out for nine months and is now fighting to get back into the team," he said, adding that there have been many untrue rumours regarding his future.
Jesus began his professional career with Palmeiras, where he scored 28 goals in 83 appearances, before moving to Manchester City for €27 million. He helped City win four Premier League titles and several other trophies during his time there.
