Arsenal will want to spend money in the January transfer window and could now sell one of their big-name assets to bankroll some mid-season incomings for Mikel Arteta.

Mikel Arteta looks to cope with Martin Odegaard's Arsenal absence

Martin Odegaard’s latest injury blow wasn’t ideal for Arsenal, but they managed to cope without their club captain as the North Londoners sealed another vital win against Fulham this evening.

Arteta has a few players capable of replicating the Norwegian’s impact in the engine room. Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze are both thriving this campaign in their respective roles, for instance, while youngster Ethan Nwaneri has a chance to get a lot more minutes in Odegaard’s absence.

That being said, Odegaard will be a miss, and it took yet another dead-ball situation for Arsenal to grind out that narrow 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage.

Following his immediate setback after recovering from a shoulder problem, Arteta praised his mental strength in the face of another frustrating blow.

“I think he’s in a really good place,” said Arteta.

“Obviously disappointed how it happened. The good thing is that he does everything that he possibly can to prevent injuries. The injuries that he had are very, very difficult to prevent. So that’s something that you have to take the weight off yourself, and that’s it. Then he cannot afford to be in a different mindset.”

Ultimately, injuries are part of football and Arsenal know more than most about the impact they can have, as seen with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz being long-term absentees.

Some would argue the duo being absent for large periods last season cost the Gunners a tilt at the Premier League title, though they appear to be in the race for the long haul this time around and excitement is brewing over what they could achieve.

Even then, there could need to be squad surgery in January to ensure Arteta has the right balance to bring a first league crown back to North London since 2004, which could now lead to an intriguing departure.

Arsenal in talks over selling Gabriel Jesus

According to reports in Spain, Arsenal could sell striker Jesus to Flamengo, and the Brazilian side have “initiated talks” over a potential deal that could net the Gunners in the region of £26 million.

Still, the price-tag on the Brazil international could prove to be an obstacle in negotiations, not to mention his £265,000-per-week salary, albeit Arteta has given himself plenty of time to work out a formula after putting the experienced forward up for sale ahead of the January window.

Gabriel Jesus and his goalscoring record at Arsenal

Appearances

96

Goals

26

Assists

20

There is scope for a loan or permanent exit, and Jesus is believed to be considering the prospect of a fresh start in South America with the hope of playing his way into Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Of course, the former Manchester City man hasn’t featured since tearing his cruciate ligament at the beginning of 2025, so it would make sense for Arsenal to recoup what they can as he works his way back to full fitness.

Viktor Gyokeres will thrive in time and Havertz is soon to return from injury, creating a natural set of circumstances where an exit for Jesus could suit all parties.