Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Gabriel Jesus underwent a minor operation on a knee issue that saw him miss the Emirates Cup clash against AS Monaco. Prior to the clash the club confirmed Jesus was to be assessed on a knee issue with Arteta now providing more clarity on his status.
Mikel Arteta said: “Unfortunately he had a little procedure this morning. He’s had some discomfort in his knee that caused him some issues so they had to go in. He’s going to be out for a few weeks. It is a big blow because we had him back to his best, especially with the way he played against Barcelona and he was in good condition but unfortunately we lost him. We had to look at it and we had to make a decision and the best one is to protect the player and get him back as quick as possible. We decided to do it. It’s something related to the previous injury he had and the surgery. He had some irritation in the knee and we had to get it resolved.” The Brazil international missed a number of months last season with the initial knee injury, giving Eddie Nketiah the chance to stake his claim for a first-team role.
Now, the former Chelsea man looks set for another opportunity with the Gunners in action against Manchester City in the Community Shield. Nketiah was able to provide the perfect message to Arteta in the Emirates Cup clash against Monaco as his calm volley from a Gabriel Martinelli corner levelled the contest. With the timeline relatively clear on his return, Jesus could be back in the squad to face Crystal Palace on August 21 or five days later when the Gunners face Fulham.
