Arsenal have done some groundwork on a potential deal for Botafogo’s Igor Jesus, according to a report.
Arsenal are on the lookout for forwards in the January transfer window, but the general sense you get is that the bigger deals will be much easier to do in the summer.
The Gunners may look to do a loan deal as an alternative, or look at a lower-cost solution to tide things over until then.
On that note, Ben Jacobs reports that Arsenal have already set the stage for a potential move for 23-year-old Igor Jesus of Brazilian club Botafogo.
“The first name that I’ve put out there is Igor Jesus, who has already won four caps for Brazil,” Jacobs said whilst speaking on Curtis Shaw’s YouTube channel. “This is kind of an Edu legacy deal, if you like, and some groundwork was done for him.”
“It’s a good time of course to buy off a club in the Brazilian Serie A because of how their calendar falls,” Jacobs added. “This is kind of like their summer window and clubs are a bit more conducive to doing business.
“The profile fits what Arsenal are looking for – relatively young but still able to translate quite well into first-team football.
“It’s unclear at this stage, because he’s not been there for that long, whether Botafogo would be prepared to sell. But again, a more economical option.”
Igor Jesus joined Botafogo last July, after impressing with UAE Pro League side Shabab Al-Ahli.
The forward got off to a relatively slow start in the Brazilian Serie A, scoring five goals and assisting three in 22 appearances, though his contributions were still enough to help them to the league title.
On top of that, Jesus also scored or assisted five goals in six Copa Libertadores games – and his team won that competition as well. So while there may have been room for improvement, it hasn’t been a bad six months.
The player’s form earned him starts in Brazil’s last four games, in which he grabbed another goal and assist.
The underlying stats look good, particularly on the creative side, but it’s up to Arsenal whether it’s worth investing in another player who hasn’t necessarily been free-scoring.