Gabriel Fernando de Jesus (born 3 April 1997) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Arsenal and the Brazil national team.
Jesus began his senior club career at Palmeiras, where he was voted Best Newcomer at the 2015 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and won the Copa do Brasil. In 2016, he won the Bola de Ouro helping Palmeiras win their first national league title in 22 years. Jesus signed with English club Manchester City in January 2017 in a transfer worth £27 million, and won four Premier League titles, three EFL Cups, and the FA Cup. In July 2022, he joined Arsenal in a deal worth £45 million.
After winning 21 caps and scoring seven goals at youth level, including reaching the final of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup and winning an Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Jesus made his senior debut for Brazil in September 2016, and was part of the squad that took part at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, later also participating at the Copa America in 2019 and 2021, winning the former tournament.
A talented and versatile forward, Jesus is capable of playing in several attacking positions: he has been deployed as a center forward, as an out-and-out striker, as a false 9, as an inside forward, as a winger or as an attacking midfielder. Jesus is renowned for his pace, technical skills, dribbling ability, creativity, finishing, movement, and work ethic. Former Brazilian striker Ronaldo has praised Jesus and touted him for future success with the Brazilian national team.
In October 2019, Jesus said he was open to switching to a winger role at Manchester City in the hope of getting more playing time, though he acknowledged that there was still intense competition in the team for a starting spot out on the wing.
Upon joining Arsenal, Jesus has been placed up-front as a striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. |
