South American giants Flamengo are closing in on the signature of Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus, who is open to a return to Brazil.

Gabriel Jesus is expected to part ways with Arsenal in the upcoming transfer window. While he is currently sidelined by a serious ligament injury and won’t be back until the start of next year, the Brazilian forward has lost his place in Mikel Arteta’s team, and they are pushing to get him off their books.

Flamengo are very keen on signing the 28-year-old as they look to reinforce their attack, and according to a report from Fichajes, Gabriel Jesus is also open to a return to his home country. He seeks regular game time ahead of next summer’s World Cup, and a move back to Brazil could help him revive his career.

The versatile attacker came up the ranks at Palmeiras and made a name for himself while playing for their first team before joining Manchester City at the start of 2017. After a five-year spell in Pep Guardiola’s team, he made the switch to Arsenal in the summer of 2022.

The Gunners invested a significant fee to bring him in, as they expected him to become one of their mainstays going forward. While he was an important part of their plans in the initial years, the 28-year-old failed to have the kind of impact everyone expected, and of late, injuries have not helped his cause either.

He was more of a rotational option last season before he picked up the ligament injury, which has kept him on the sidelines ever since. While he will be back fit in January, Gabriel Jesus is no longer a part of Mikel Arteta’s plans.

Arsenal are ready to sell Gabriel Jesus

The Gunners have moved on from the 28-year-old, who still has well over 18 months left on his deal. They are ready to sanction his departure in the winter window, as they look to free up wages for potential signings.

Flamengo have emerged as a potential destination for the former Manchester City attacker. The Brazilian club are looking to add more quality in the final third, and they are willing to offer him an opportunity to revive his career.

Flamengo have already made their interest public, and they are intensifying their efforts as we move towards the January window. While they are willing to negotiate with Arsenal, the North London club want around €30 million, which is a massive obstacle for them. The Gunners could be open to a temporary departure as well. As a result, it will be interesting to see how things pan out going forward.