Arsenal are preparing to part ways with Gabriel Jesus as the club seeks to slash approximately £17 million from its wage bill ahead of further transfer activity this summer.

According to Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, Napoli are working to create room in their squad for Jesus, with Romelu Lukaku edging closer to an exit from Italy. FourFourTwo understands Arsenal are open to offers of around £20 million for the Brazilian striker — less than half the fee they paid to Manchester City for his signature back in 2022.

A high earner with a year to run

Wage-tracking platform Capology lists Jesus as Arsenal's third-highest earner, behind Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, on a reported £265,000 per week. With just one year remaining on the contract he signed four years ago, the Gunners have a clear incentive to move him on now rather than risk losing him for nothing.

When Jesus first arrived from Manchester City, his impact was immediate and significant. He led Arsenal's unexpected title charge in 2022/23, with the club accumulating 50 points from their opening 19 league fixtures. His work off the ball, movement, and link play redefined how Arteta's side operated in attack.

A career derailed by injury

A knee injury sustained at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar proved the turning point. Jesus never fully recaptured his earlier form, gradually losing his starting berth — first to Havertz, then to Viktor Gyokeres — as Arteta moved away from the false nine system that had suited the Brazilian so well.

He showed renewed promise in 2024/25, scoring a hat-trick against Crystal Palace, but his season was cut short by an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in an FA Cup tie against Manchester United. That setback left him on the fringes of Arteta's plans once more.

Further departures on the cards

FourFourTwo understands Arsenal are also willing to let Gabriel Martinelli, Reiss Nelson, and Fabio Vieira leave the club. Together, those departures could free up more than £300,000 a week in additional savings. Martinelli, who signed a long-term extension in 2023, is believed to earn around £180,000 per week, while Nelson is also understood to be on a six-figure weekly wage.

Nelson, a product of Arsenal's Hale End academy, has made just 50 Premier League appearances for the club since his debut nearly a decade ago, though he did earn a contract extension in 2024 following important contributions to the club's title challenge — including goals against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.

Transfermarkt values Jesus at €17 million. Arsenal open their 2026/27 Premier League season against Coventry City.