Gabriel Jesus was pictured back in training with Arsenal on Tuesday, as he edges closer to a comeback for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal fans were given a boost on Tuesday as pictures emerged of Gabriel Jesus out on the training pitches at London Colney with a ball at his feet.

Posting on his Twitter account, Jesus gave a cryptic update, saying only “step by step”. But the images certainly suggest the striker is finally closing in on a comeback.

Perhaps the most interesting image was one primarily focused on Bukayo Saka, with Jesus clearly visible in the background.

If Jesus was involved in the same session as the rest of the squad, as opposed to training individually, that’s another encouraging sign.

When will Gabriel Jesus be back playing for Arsenal?

The latest reports suggest it’s unlikely Gabriel Jesus will be back in the Arsenal squad for Wednesday’s clash with Everton or Saturday’s fixture against Bournemouth.

But the Gunners are hopeful of having Jesus back before the international break begins on March 20th.

That leaves a few possible options for a return, with Arsenal playing Sporting CP away on March 9th, Fulham away on March 12th, Sporting CP at home on March 16th, and Crystal Palace at home on March 19th.

In addition to those fixtures, it’s reportedly possible Arsenal could use u21 fixtures to boost Jesus’ fitness, as they’ve just done with Emile Smith Rowe and Jakub Kiwior.

It goes without saying that Arsenal will be significantly boosted by Jesus’ return.

The striker made such a positive impact in the first part of the campaign, and his unique interpretation of the centre-forward role gave the team something they’ve found difficult to replace in his absence.

Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United recently named Jesus as his toughest opponent in the Premier League, and he won’t be the only one who feels that way.

If Arsenal can remain top of the league until Jesus’ return, you’d imagine they’ll start to believe they can stay there with the Brazilian back involved.