Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has fueled speculation regarding a summer transfer to Italy while addressing his omission from the Brazil World Cup squad.
In an interview published on June 29, 2026, the 29-year-old forward revealed his childhood dream of playing in Serie A, hinting at a potential move to Juventus or AC Milan.
“I grew up watching Serie A and dreamed of playing in Italy. Scoring two goals at the San Siro against Inter was like realising that dream,” Jesus said.
“I don’t know my future, now I work, and we see what happens with Arsenal.”
Jesus has found himself playing a supporting role under Mikel Arteta due to recurring injuries, despite celebrating another Premier League title this season.
According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport and Calciomercato.
com, Arsenal has lowered its initial £30 million asking price to between £20 million and £25 million to facilitate a sale.
The Brazilian international also addressed his recent exclusion from the national team squad by head coach Carlo Ancelotti for the ongoing 2026 World Cup, following a late-season goal drought and limited playing time.
“I don’t think I was even that close to getting into the team,” Jesus admitted.
He explained that his communication with the manager earlier in the year was positive, but his physical rhythm dropped significantly toward the end of the domestic campaign.
“There have been other players called up many times in the last year and then cut anyway.
If you ask me, did you deserve to be on the list? I say no,” Jesus said.
The forward expressed no resentment toward the decision, praising the leadership style of the veteran manager.
“Everyone has to respect him [Ancelotti]; he is the most successful manager.
What impressed me most were the words of those who worked with him: he is open, he makes the team a family,” Jesus added.
The lack of competitive minutes at the Emirates Stadium ultimately cost him the chance to chase down Roberto Firmino's milestone of 82 goals to become the all-time leading Brazilian goalscorer in Premier League history.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t have any minutes at the end of the season, and, to be honest, that’s why I didn’t deserve to be at the World Cup.
I understand these situations completely,” Jesus said.
A potential transfer to Italy faces financial hurdles, as Jesus currently earns approximately £265,000 a week, meaning he would need to reduce his net salary to around €6 million per year to fit Serie A wage structures.
Reports from goonernews. com and sempremilan.
com indicate that Juventus is looking for a low-cost replacement as Dusan Vlahovic departs on a free transfer, while AC Milan has already committed a club-record €74 million for Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos.
“Arsenal are hoping to sell Gabriel Jesus this summer and there’s an awareness that that means being more realistic about their asking price,” an anonymous source told caughtoffside.
com.
While interest has been indicated by Everton and his former club Palmeiras, no official offers have advanced due to concerns over the player's fitness record and his current contract obligations that run until June 2027.
“At the moment the message is that clubs won’t pay big for him – there are understandable concerns about his fitness record,” the source added.
Arsenal remains open to offloading several players this summer, including Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Christian Norgaard, Fabio Vieira, and Reiss Nelson, to generate funds for incoming targets.
