- Jesus last played for Arsenal in November
- He is now back training in the gym
- Scored five goals before leaving for the World Cup
WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazil international had knee surgery in December having picked up an injury while on World Cup duty in Qatar.
Arsenal have always been reluctant to put a timeframe on his return, but recent social media posts from the the forward which have shown him throwing away his crutches and knee brace, have raised excitement levels among fans that he could be back relatively quickly.
WHAT THEY SAID: Arteta has tempered those expectations, however, suggesting that the 25-year-old still has some way to go in his recovery.
"He’s progressing really well," said the Arsenal boss. "He’s working really hard, he’s in the right place in terms of the time that we set for him, but he’s still a bit far."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Jesus' continued absence has hastened the need for Arsenal to bolster their attacking options this month and they are now closing in on a deal for Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhailo Mudryk.
Next Match
"You know we cannot talk about any other players," Arteta said, in response to a question on Mudryk. "There are some interests in what we’d like to do to improve the team because we’re short in certain areas and with injuries that picked. We are trying and as a club. We are trying to improve in every window."
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Getty ImagesGettyWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL? The Gunners travel to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon for the north London derby.