Arsenal offer £45million star to Atletico Madrid amid Julian Alvarez speculation

Arsenal have offered Gabriel Jesus to Atletico Madrid in an attempt to find a new club for the Brazil international striker.

The Gunners are hoping to be active in the transfer market before next week’s deadline and trimming their bloated squad is high on Mikel Arteta’s priority list.

To that end, the Premier League champions terminated the contract of Reiss Nelson on Thursday and are expecting to receive a major cash injection having sanctioned the sale of Gabriel Martinelli to Al-Hilal.

Fabio Vieira remains a target for Hamburg, where he spent last season on loan, while the future of Ethan Nwaneri remains the subject of speculation.

Jesus, too, has been deemed surplus to requirements and trained away from the first team in preparation for Monday night’s game against Aston Villa.

‘It’s something to do with the numbers that we have in the squad at the moment and the way we’re managing that kind of situation individually with all the players – they have some personal situations,’ said Arteta on the decision to keep one of his most experienced players away from the main group.

Jesus joined Arsenal from Manchester City three years ago and had a transformative impact on the north London club, along with Oleksandr Zinchenko, during his early days at the Emirates.

Two serious knee injuries, however, effectively ruined his Arsenal career to the extent whereby he has now been deemed surplus to requirements with a year remaining on his contract.

A move to Napoli had been touted earlier in the window but that move fell through with the Serie A club reluctant to meet Arsenal’s terms and failing to match Jesus’ wage demands.

With time running out to find a solution, according to DAZN_ES, Arsenal have now offered Atletico the chance to sign the 29-year-old for as little as €18million.

The Spanish club are still attempting to navigate their way through the Julian Alvarez saga with their star player having missed training all week, citing depression.

The former City forward has been rendered persona non grata by the club’s fans having publicly stated his desire to join Barcelona.

But with Atletico steadfastly refusing to do business with their La Liga rivals, Alvarez has been left in limbo.

Arsenal are willing to offer Alvarez an escape route, but the player remains undecided on a return to the Premier League.

His former club, City, were said to have entered the running on Friday night, but the 26-year-old has no intention of returning to the Etihad where he spent two seasons as Erling Haaland’s understudy.

According to DAZN_ES, however, any deal for Jesus would be separate from any dealing Arsenal have with Atletico over a possible late move for Alvarez.