Gabriel Jesus is not currently keen on a move to Napoli after the Italian club made a transfer approach to sign the Arsenal striker, according to reports. The Brazilian forward has just one year left on his deal with Arsenal and the Premier League champions are open to a sale before the end of the summer transfer window.
Jesus's role at Arsenal and Napoli's interest
Jesus scored six goals in 27 appearances in all competitions last season, but spent large swathes of the season beneath 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.
Jesus has attracted interest from Napoli, with the Italian club keen to add attacking reinforcements after the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Fenerbahce. The Gunners have set a £20 million asking price for the striker, but Marca reports that Jesus is currently 'not open' to a move to Napoli.
Jesus's future plans and Serie A dream
Jesus is instead expected to take his time and consider all his options before deciding on a potential transfer away from Arsenal before the September 1 deadline. Earlier in the summer, Jesus appeared to indicate that 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.' He added: 'I don't know my future, I'm working now and we'll see what happens with Arsenal.'
Arsenal's transfer plans and alternative targets
Speaking after the Gunners' win over City at the weekend, Mikel Arteta confirmed he was still hoping to bolster his defensive options before the summer transfer window closes. 'We know there are certain areas that through injuries we are weaker and we need to strengthen,' the Spaniard 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 heavily linked with a move for Ezri Konsa, with the latest reports suggesting the Gunners are now closing in on a deal for the Aston Villa and England defender. Should a deal for Jesus not progress, reports in Italy have suggested that Napoli will also be considering 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 already attracted interest from Juventus in this summer window. Meanwhile, Chelsea are open to selling Jackson for the right price after his return from an unsuccessful loan spell at Bayern Munich last season. Jackson scored 24 goals in his first two Premier League seasons at Stamford Bridge, and has been linked with a move to Aston Villa and Tottenham already this summer.
