An Arsenal statement on Tuesday evening read: "Gabriel Jesus has successfully undergone surgery to his right knee after suffering an injury during the Brazil v Cameroon World Cup group stage match on Friday. Gabby will now begin his rehabilitation programme. Everyone at the club is supporting Gabby and will be working hard to get him back on the pitch as soon as possible."
This injury setback poses one question; How do Arsenal go about solving their Gabriel Jesus problem in the short term? Whilst there has been no official confirmation of how long the striker will be sidelined, medical expert Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT has suggested the end of February as a potential return date.
"Latest on Gabriel Jesus. Return timeline after MCL surgery is typically 10-12 weeks," he wrote on Twitter. "Ligament heals quite well due to robust blood supply. Granit Xhaka was back in 70 days & would’ve been sooner if not for accompanying fracture as well. True timeline will be wait & see."
READ MORE: Arsenal star Gabriel Jesus posts major injury update on Instagram after knee surgery
In truth, Mikel Arteta has about four options on the table with regard to coping without the Brazil international. He could dip into the transfer market to sign a direct replacement, look to internal solutions, recall one of his forwards out on loan, or just press ahead with what he and Edu have planned for the January window.
With that in mind, following confirmation of Jesus' successful operation, we asked our football.london Arsenal Writers and Arsenal Content Editor for their opinion on what steps the north London outfit should take to ensure the Brazilian's absence doesn't derail the season.
Tom Canton - Arsenal Writer
Arsenal are in a title race for the Premier League and will now be without their crucial No.9 Gabriel Jesus for a period of potentially three months. Some of that time being taken up by the World Cup’s continuation is a blessing but even more so is the opportunity of the January transfer window.
If there is a chance for the Gunners to find a competitive option in the winter window they should take it. This isn't to undermine Eddie Nketiah, it is to protect the position that Arteta's side have performed so brilliantly to achieve.
The likelihood however is that a wide forward remains the priority with Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli being seen as sufficient cover for the absent Jesus. This might be enough, yet if there was an option to find reinforcement, even in the short term, Edu should be grabbing the chance with both hands.
Comments regarding Joao Felix’s availability is an open invitation to add quality to the squad. If the ownership can afford to bring in another forward of quality, the Portuguese international would be a great option.
Tashan Deniran-Alleyne - Arsenal Writer
The harsh reality is that there aren't many, if any, proven goalscorers on the market heading into the January transfer window, so signing a direct replacement for Gabriel Jesus is effectively out of the question and I do have slight reservations as to whether significant funds would be available if an opportunity presented itself.
With that said, there can't be a repeat of what happened just under a year ago when Arsenal weakened themselves by allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to leave without replacing him, as I feel a lack of goals ultimately proved costly - among other factors - in the top four race.
Fast forward 12 months and the Gunners will be in an even better position when the winter transfer window opens. For me, Mikel Arteta and Edu must strike whilst the iron is hot to give the side the best possible chance of ending their near 20-year wait to be crowned Premier League champions again.
Wilfried Zaha, in my opinion, would be the ideal signing given his Premier League experience, versatility and the immediate impact he could have, but all signs point towards Arteta and Edu sticking with their new transfer policy of not recruiting players over the age of 25.
It was widely reported that the Arsenal pair were planning to bolster the forward line before the Jesus injury and with the striker facing a significant spell on the sidelines, it's imperative those plans aren't affected. Whether it's a deal for Mykhaylo Mudryk or Cody Gakpo, the Gunners must be active in January.
Sam Truelove - Arsenal Content Editor
Gabriel Jesus' injury is a problem. Arsenal are on the hunt for their first Premier League title since 2003/04 and the injury is somewhat of a spanner in the works. The Brazilian has been a major player for Mikel Arteta so far this season but the medial ligament damage to his right knee means he could be out for up to 12 weeks.
However, the Gunners do not play again until December 26 and with the January transfer window opening just days later, Edu may decide to dip into the market to bolster the squad's attacking options. While a direct replacement for Jesus may not be required, it was understood even before the injury that Arsenal were interested in bringing a wide forward to the Emirates Stadium.
These plans should now be accelerated. With Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli still representing their nations at the World Cup, the pair are at serious risk of being overworked and this could lead to burnout. And with Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson's injury issues, and Marquinhos still learning his trade, it's clear that Arsenal need further squad depth.
Signing Mykhaylo Mudryk or Cody Gakpo would solve this problem. Mudryk has starred for Shakhtar Donetsk this season and has 18 goal involvements in 18 games for the Ukrainian side, according to Transfermarkt. Gakpo has been equally as impressive for PSV, scoring 13 goals and assisting a further 17 in 24 games. The Dutch international has also been in brilliant form for the Netherlands at the World Cup, scoring in all of his side's group stage matches.
Of course, if Arsenal were to sign one of Mudryk or Gakpo it would not be cheap. But with both players under the age of 23 they would not only improve Arteta's squad immediately but also fit in with the club's transfer model of signing young and exciting talent. And with Jesus potentially out until the end of February, the signing would give the Gunners a much needed boost.
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