Arsenal face an impossible task to replace Gabriel Jesus in the injury transfer window a ‘massive loss’, but Johan Djourou still hopes for Premier League glory

Arsenal face an almost impossible task of finding a replacement for Gabriel Jesus, according to Yohan Djourou.

But the former Gunner will be hoping his former club can do without their star man and win their first Premier League title in nearly two decades.

Getty

Arsenal top the table after a strong first half of the season and will be looking to maintain their stellar record when action resumes on Boxing Day, with the north Londoners facing a Christmas trip to Brighton.

But they have been given a hammer blow to their World Cup title hopes, with news that Gabriel Jesus is set to be sidelined for a long time with a knee injury he suffered for Brazil in Qatar.

Although it is claimed the club have not set a deadline for his return, reports suggest Jesus could be out for up to three months after undergoing surgery, with the star now on crutches and his knee in a heavy splint.

The 25-year-old’s arrival this summer from Manchester City was a major turning point for Mikel Arteta’s side, with his energy in attack making a huge difference to the Gunners squad.

He entered the winter break with a record five goals and six assists in 14 appearances, but those stats underplay his role in the side who sit five points clear of defending champions City at the top of the table. .

The upcoming January transfer window presents the perfect opportunity for Arteta to strengthen his squad and really push to bring home the club’s first title since the Invincibles’ 2003/04 season under Arsene Wenger.

Instagram: Gabriel Jesus

instagram

But Djourou, who spent ten years at the Emirates Stadium, admits Arsenal are unlikely to find an identical replacement for the No.9 to fill the void left by his absence.

“Mikel Arteta knows best [then me] what he needs and what he can do with the resources they have but Gabriel Jesus is definitely a huge loss for them,” he told talkSPORT Breakfast.

“I think the energy he brings to the team, even though he wasn’t scoring goals, just the fact that he puts pressure on other teams makes him special.

“And it’s hard to find another player like that.

Getty

“The best players are Erling Haaland who is at Manchester City, and a player like Julian Alvarez who is also with City, so it’s hard to find players who fit the system and who know Arteta.

“Because, don’t forget, Gabriel knew Arteta, he knew what to expect, he knew the system, he knew everything about him as a manager before he signed for Arsenal.

“Finding this player now is tricky. But they definitely need to add forwards.

Arsenal have been linked with an interest in Ferran Torres – another player Arteta coached during his time under Pep Guardiola at City.

Getty

But Djourou doubts it’s a wise move, saying the Spaniard hasn’t been at his best since moving to Barcelona.

He added: “A player like Ferran Torres at Barcelona? It could be interesting.

“But I don’t think Ferran has shown enough in the Premier League, nor in Barcelona either.”

Asked if he thinks Arsenal really have what it takes to win the Premier League title this season, he added: “I hope so.

“I really hope they did, because they sound about what they do and the philosophy.

“Time is what you need and it’s nice to see that they’ve actually built something and it’s working.

“Now it’s time to deal with the injuries and the players coming back from the World Cup – [Takehiro] Tomiyasu comes back who said he needed time, they got [Thomas] Partey returns, [Granit] Xhaka is coming back, so let’s see how all these things come together now and see who’s the strongest to come back.