Stan Collymore has told Gabriel Jesus to join Chelsea over Arsenal in the summer transfer window.
The Brazilian international is into the final 13 months of his contract at Manchester City and Pep Guardiola's side recently added Norwegian starlet Erling Haaland to their attacking ranks, a move that could be detrimental to Jesus' game time at the Etihad Stadium. football.london understands that the Brazilian international is on the Arsenal's list of forward options this summer and technical director Edu has held talks with the player's representatives in recent months.
However, the Gunners' London rivals Chelsea have also been linked with a move over the last week given the uncertainty surrounding Blues' frontman Romelu Lukaku. And former Liverpool star Collymore has urged Jesus to pick Thomas Tuchel over Mikel Arteta because he doesn't fully trust the Spaniard.
READ MORE: Inter Milan director in London amid Milan Skriniar's Chelsea transfer links
"There are rumours of Chelsea sniffing around as well and I don’t think Arsenal will be the only club in the race for him this summer," he told The Mirror. "But let’s say Arsenal get him, my general worry and concern about Arsenal, as ever, is could we trust Mikel Arteta to get the best out of Jesus, could he be the manager who makes him fulfil his potential if Pep Guardiola couldn’t? I don’t think so.
"But if he goes to Chelsea he could be the player Romelu Lukaku was promised to be but wasn’t. At Chelsea, they create loads of chances, they will stick the ball in the box and Jesus can be the fox in the box I’ve so often said they need.
"If Jesus just concentrated on doing some really good work in the box, he could be that man." Collymore also questioned the futures of Hale End academy graduates Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, claiming that the talented youngsters could leave the north Londoners in the coming years.
He added: "At Arsenal, with the support cast they have, which is still two rookies in Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka — and we don’t know for sure that they will still be wearing Gunners shirts in two years’ time, with Saka being linked with Liverpool and City — if I was Jesus I would be thinking of myself in the blue shirt at Stamford Bridge. I’d be thinking that Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and, if he stays, Timo Werner would be putting it on a plate for me and I’d be getting my 25 goals as a regular starter next season.
"What he’s not going to do is fire Arsenal into the Champions League next season because it’s not just a case of them needing a finisher."
