Arsenal line-up January deal as Mikel Arteta loses patience with misfiring £45million star

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is appearing to finally lose patience with striker Gabriel Jesus after he again failed to score against Southampton. The Gunners maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season by coming from behind to win 3-1 at the Emirates, with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka the scorers.

But the result masked another game where Jesus, who signed from Manchester City for £45million two years ago, struggled to impress.

The Brazilian forward started the game but was hooked off on the hour mark, leaving him still without a club goal this season.

The 27-year-old has just 19 Arsenal goals in 76 appearances, while his spell in north London has also been plagued by injuries. And now Arteta is reportedly looking to bring in an alternative option in the January transfer window.

Egyptian international Omar Marmoush has made a superb start to the season with Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring seven goals in just eight games. It follows a 2023/24 campaign where he struck 17 times, helping Frankfurt to a sixth-placed finish in the Bundesliga.

After struggling at the start of his professional career at Wolfsburg, Marmoush moved to Frankfurt in 2023 following season-long loans at FC St Pauli and Stuttgart. But he’s since he’s proved a revelation under Dino Toppmolle, and now has 24 club goals in just 49 matches.

Marmoush is contracted until June 2027, but according to CaughtOffside, his club are ready to accept offers in the region of £25million. Arsenal are said to be among the frontrunners for his signature, with Manchester United, West Ham and Nottingham Forest also linked.

Arsenal have scored 15 times in the league already this season, with only champions City (17) more prolific so far. But the widespread perception that their title bid is lacking a clinical striker remains.

Over the summer, they were touted to move for the likes of Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres, but big-money bids never materialised. Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko is also said to be on their radar following his latest scoring display for RB Leipzig against Juventus in the Champions League this week.

Despite the speculation over Jesus being replaced though, Arteta has continuously defended the player in public. And ahead of the Southampton clash, he was defiant when asked if the ex-City man could turn his form around. “100 percent,” he said.

“And when you are surrounded by people who love you, wanting to put in everything that they can to help you and make you better, and people are little bit patient as well, and you see that that person is so willing after everything he’s doing. Gabi looks like he really wants it so that’s the best start.”