Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus will miss the start of the Premier League season after manager Mikel Arteta confirmed Wednesday that the Brazilian has undergone a minor knee operation.
The Brazil international missed three months of last season after suffering a knee injury at the World Cup and now faces a shorter spell on the sidelines after another operation.
“Unfortunately, he had a little procedure this morning,” Arteta said after Arsenal’s friendly against Monaco at the Emirates Stadium. “He had some discomfort in his knee that has been causing some issues and they had to go in and resolve it. It is not something major but he looks to be out for a few weeks I think. It is a big blow because we had him back to his best, especially the way he played against Barcelona (in preseason), and he was in good condition and we lost him.”
Arteta said Jesus had been feeling “discomfort” in the knee for the past few weeks.
“We had to make a decision and the best one is to protect the player and get him back as quick as possible so we decided to do it,” Arteta said. “It is something related to the previous injury that he had and the surgery. He had some irritation in the knee and we had to get it resolved.”
That leaves Arteta with Eddie Nketiah and United States international Folarin Balogun as the two outright strikers in the squad going into the start of the season, although Leandro Trossard and new signing Kai Havertz can also play up front.
Balogun has drawn interest from other clubs in this transfer window after impressing on loan at French club Reims last season, although Jesus’ injury could make Arteta less willing to sell the striker.