ARSENAL are ready to offer Gabriel Jesus nearly £200,000-a-week to try and tempt him to join.
The Brazilian striker is currently on international duty, but Manchester City bosses plan to speak to his representatives over the next few days.
Arsenal have never hidden their interest in Jesus, 25, and have already held one round of talks with his agent Marcelo Pettinati.
And even though the Gunners missed out on Champions League football on the final day, the City forward is still interested in a potential move to the Emirates.
Jesus is also on the radar for clubs in Spain and Italy, but Arsenal are understood to be offering better terms, worth a basic £190,000-a-week plus bonuses.
That would be a major increase on his £110,000 City salary, and he also had a successful relationship with Mikel Arteta when the Arsenal boss was Pep Guardiola’s assistant
Jesus has won nine major trophies since joining City from Palmeiras for £28million in 2017, but knows that Erling Haaland’s arrival is likely to limit him to even fewer starts next season.
He has just 12 months left on his contract and Guardiola remains a huge fan – but equally will not stand in his way if the Brazilian insists he wants to leave.
Yet City will demand around £50m before they talk business – the same amount Newcastle must pay if they want to make Nathan Ake part of the St James’s Park summer revolution.
Toon boss Eddie Howe has made a second inquiry about Ake, after Manchester City gave him a short shrift when he first asked in January.
Yet although Pep Guardiola doesn’t want to lose the center back, City won’t stand in his way if he does decide he wants to move, given it will mean regular first team football.
The Dutch defender obviously knows Howe well, having spent four years under him at Bournemouth, before moving to the Etihad for £40m in 2020.
Although Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones are ahead of him in the pecking order, City would still want an increase on the money they paid two years ago.
But at least his £80,000-a-week salary will not be an issue for Newcastle, even if keeping up his regular flow of winners’ medals – two titles and a League Cup so far – may be.
