Arsenal are preparing for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain after securing their first Premier League title in 22 years, but off-field matters also demand attention. Gabriel Jesus has spoken publicly about his future at the Emirates, with just 12 months remaining on his current deal.
The Brazil international, 29, is one of the club's highest earners but has started only 11 times across all competitions this season, largely due to a torn ACL that kept him out for much of the first half of the campaign. His place in the pecking order has been further squeezed by the summer arrival of Viktor Gyokeres.
Despite the speculation, Jesus struck an optimistic tone after scoring in Sunday's 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace. 'The future belongs to God,' he told ESPN Brazil. 'I still have one year left on my Arsenal contract. I want to play and prove to myself that I can still play at a high level.'
Manager Mikel Arteta handed Jesus the captain's armband for the Palace match, suggesting he remains valued. However, Arsenal may be willing to sanction a departure if a buyer matches his wages, and Jesus admitted 'a lot is said about my future' while acknowledging the difficulty of his situation.
Meanwhile, midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who earned his first start in a month against Palace, declared himself 'ready to go' for the final. The Euro 2024 winner has been benched recently due to the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly, but he insisted his overall Premier League performance has been 'very good' and that he feels back to normal after a demanding season.
