Gabriel Jesus can be the new Alexandre Lacazette at Arsenal – but better

Familiarity with the Brazilian market continues to pay dividends. Additional firepower in the frontline was considered to be a top priority for Arsenal in this transfer window, and the club have again exploited their intimate knowledge of South America to achieve it as Gabriel Jesus finalises his highly anticipated £45m move from Man City.

Some may have reservations about the extent to which the new arrival will elevate our collective quality, with his modest goal-scoring returns in England suggesting a more prolific option should have been pursued by a team whose strikers managed just 13 league goals between them last season.

Gabriel Jesus can become the next Lacazette for Arsenal – but with a better outcome

However, Jesus boasts various characteristics that indicate he will fit seamlessly into Mikel Arteta’s plans for the upcoming campaign and, if everything goes as intended, he could be a new and improved version of Lacazette.

A reincarnation of the somewhat unspectacular Frenchman may not seem like an exciting prospect for supporters, but Lacazette was always a firm favourite under Arteta – who once insisted he is the type of striker he “really likes” – and he possessed many strengths that the boss is keen to retain following his recent return to boyhood side Lyon.

Therefore, it makes sense that the Gunners have turned to Jesus to replace him as the two forwards have a lot in common. Just like Lacazette, Jesus excels when dropping deep to link play, is as much a creator as he is a goal-scorer and – according to Guardiola – is the “best in the world” when it comes to facilitating a high press.

And if we factor in how the Brazil international will cost almost the same amount as Lacazette did and is only a year younger than our former number nine was in 2017, it becomes clear that Arsenal are employing a similar recruitment strategy that will hopefully yield a better outcome.

But despite their commonalities, Jesus also brings several extra benefits that should result in a more successful north London career. His superior athleticism allows him to run the channels and play with great intensity, while his suitability to either wing gives better tactical flexibility than we had with the centrally confined Lacazette.

Furthermore, in contrast to the Frenchman’s tendency to lay the ball off, the Samba star prefers to take on the opponent and combine with teammates at the heart of the action before charging into the box; providing an extra presence in front of goal and clever movement that will open up space for the creative hub to flourish.

Such gains are also evidenced in statistics. According to football statistics website FBRef, both Lacazette (97th) and Jesus (92nd) rank in the top percentiles among forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for assists per 90 minutes over the past year, but the Brazilian trumps his counterpart in a range of other areas including non-penalty goals, pass completion and touches in the box, where he rubs shoulders with the best on the continent. With more game-time up front and adequate service from midfield, he should thrive.

His curious stay in Manchester means the jury is still out on the threat posed by our new-look attack, and there is significant pressure on Jesus to prove he has what it takes to finally be the main man. But he appears to offer everything his predecessor did and so much more, and that is exactly what Arsenal are aiming for.