Arsenal‘s Gabriel Jesus has opened up about the battles he’s faced against persistent knee problems.
The Brazilian striker’s admission that he rarely plays without pain paints a sobering picture of his dedication to the club. Now, he’s considering the possibility of surgery, a decision that could force him to sacrifice his dream of representing Brazil at this year’s Copa America.
“I honestly don’t know if my knee will be good enough to be available,” Jesus told TNT Sports Brazil, acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding his Copa America prospects. The timing of a potential surgery leaves him with a difficult dilemma. Delaying it would give him a chance to wear the Brazilian colours this summer, but it risks further aggravating his knee issues and impacting Arsenal‘s crucial pre-season preparations. Opting for surgery in the summer would prioritise his long-term well-being but potentially sideline him from the Copa America.
“In my best moment, one of my best moments in my career, I went to a World Cup and ended up getting injured and today I still have these little problems with my knee,” Jesus said. “Today I have a different mindset, today I think I have to look after myself a lot too, take care of myself, because if I’m 100% I’ll help and if I’m not, I won’t help.
“So, obviously, I always want to be available for the national team and we want to be called up, we want to be there. Obviously, I want to play in another Copa América, I want to win, I want to conquer, I don’t know, we’ll see,” he added.
“I honestly don’t know if my knee will be good enough to be available, but it’s still three months away, so we’ll see what happens. Even here at Arsenal there are things that you have to hold on to, go, train, play, train today, don’t train, play, in short, it’s difficult, but I intend to, my desire is always to be available for both Arsenal and the national team.
“It doesn’t matter if, at the end of the season, I have to open up my knee and correct what’s getting in the way and end up missing out on a chance to play in the Copa America.”
Arsenal fans will undoubtedly applaud Jesus’s willingness to sacrifice for the club, but his potential absence would be a significant blow. His importance to the team was evident during his recent injury spells, highlighting a lack of depth in the attacking line, despite how many goals Arsenal scored without him. The club’s rumoured pursuit of multiple strikers shows the club are also aware of this vulnerability.
From the Brazilian perspective, missing Jesus at the Copa America would represent a major setback. The striker’s skill, creativity, and goalscoring threat are vital for the national team. However, while his absence would be felt, Brazil’s abundance of attacking talent should mitigate the impact.