Gabriel Jesus is reportedly not keen on a move to Napoli after the Italian club made a transfer approach for the Arsenal striker. The Brazilian forward has just one year left on his contract with the Premier League champions, who are open to a sale before the end of the summer transfer window.
Jesus scored six goals in 27 appearances in all competitions last season, spending large parts of the campaign behind Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz in the pecking order. The 29-year-old was also left out of the matchday squad for Arsenal's Community Shield victory over Manchester City last weekend in Cardiff.
Napoli interest and Arsenal's asking price
Napoli have shown interest in Jesus after the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Fenerbahce. Arsenal have set a £20 million asking price for the striker, but according to Marca, Jesus is currently 'not open' to a move to Napoli. He is expected to take his time and consider all options before deciding on a potential transfer away from Arsenal before the September 1 deadline.
Earlier in the summer, Jesus appeared to indicate he would be open to a move to Italy, telling Gazzetta dello Sport: 'I grew up watching Serie A and dreamed of playing in Italy. Scoring two goals at San Siro against Inter was like making that dream come true. I don't know my future, I'm working now and we'll see what happens with Arsenal.'
Arteta's transfer plans and alternative targets
Speaking after the Community Shield win, Mikel Arteta confirmed he was still hoping to bolster his defensive options. 'We know there are certain areas that through injuries we are weaker and we need to strengthen,' he said. 'We're trying to do that and we've been trying to do that for weeks. Only when the opportunity is right for the club will we do it.'
Arsenal have been linked with a move for Ezri Konsa, with reports suggesting the Gunners are closing in on a deal for the Aston Villa and England defender. Should a deal for Jesus not progress, reports in Italy suggest Napoli will also consider moves for Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee and Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson. Zirkzee has struggled since his £36.5 million move to Old Trafford in 2024 and has attracted interest from Juventus. Chelsea are open to selling Jackson for the right price after his return from an unsuccessful loan spell at Bayern Munich last season.
