Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus has been left out of first-team training as manager Mikel Arteta manages an increasingly crowded squad.
Arteta confirmed the Brazilian’s absence while speaking to reporters on Thursday, explaining that the decision was linked to the number of players currently available to Arsenal.
“It’s something to do with the numbers that we have in the squad,” Arteta said, according to reports.
The development has immediately raised questions over Jesus’ future at the Emirates, although Arteta did not explicitly confirm that the player is being sold.
Jesus joined Arsenal from Manchester City in 2022 for a reported £45 million and has since become an important part of the club’s attacking options.
However, the Brazilian has not featured in Arsenal’s opening two matches of the season and now faces increased competition following the emergence of Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres as attacking options.
Arteta also said that individual circumstances were being managed separately for players affected by the squad situation.
Reuters separately reported that Arsenal’s large squad is influencing selection decisions, with Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri among the players whose futures have attracted attention.
Reports have also linked Jesus with interest from Napoli, while his Arsenal contract has less than a year remaining.
For now, however, Arteta has stopped short of confirming an imminent departure.
The immediate issue is Arsenal’s squad size, with the manager facing difficult decisions over which players can remain involved in first-team activities as the club attempts to balance its roster and Premier League requirements.