Ex-Man City man defends one Arsenal player who’ll get replaced in £100m transfer

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Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha has now spoken up in defence of Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus amid transfer links with Ivan Toney.

Gabriel Jesus has struggled to score consistently this season, as Arsenal have been eyeing up a move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney.

Toney is thought to be keen on a switch to the Emirates Stadium. However, he won’t come cheap, as the Bees have put a £100 million price tag on the once-capped England man.

Jesus has come in for plenty of criticism this season for his profligacy in front of goal. With 16 Premier League appearances under his belt, the Brazilian has just 3 strikes to his name.

There is no denying that the 26-year-old is a fantastically talented player. He brings flair and dynamism to the side, and is an excellent link-up player, able to bring out the best in those around him. Not long after his arrival at the Emirates Stadium, Mikel Arteta credited Jesus with changing Arsenal’s world.

However, the fact is that Arsenal need a striker who can reliably find the back of the net, and Jesus himself has admitted that goalscoring is not one of the great strengths of his game.

Toney, meanwhile, has already proven that he can be prolific at Premier League level, as he netted 20 times in the top flight last season.

Nedum Onuoha gives his verdict on Gabriel Jesus

Nedum Onuoha has now had his say on what separates the two players. Speaking to Sports Mole, he said, “Arsenal are good tactically, so I think Toney, but then again, I’m still having Jesus. I’m not as hard on him as other people have been. At this point last season, they had around 50 points and looked like they were going to win a league title. It wasn’t too bad then and I don’t think it’s too bad now.”

Jesus is certainly capable of producing a better goal return than he has managed so far this season. For a start, he has been far more productive in the Champions League this season, with a record of 4 goals in 5 appearances. Last season, the 64-cap Brazil international contributed 11 goals in 26 Premier League outings.

In any case, any talk of Toney coming in may very well be moot. Certainly, there is next to no chance of the Gunners getting a deal for the player over the line in what remains of the current transfer window. Arteta has already stated that Arsenal won’t be able to make any signings before the transfer deadline passes. A lack of available transfer funds has severely hampered the north London club this month, especially with the pressure to remain within Premier League spending rules and comply with FFP regulations.