Joleon Lescott has expressed concern over Gabriel Jesus’ Manchester City future with the Brazilian failing to develop into the natural successor for Sergio Aguero as the leading man.
The 24-year-old has been unable to tie down a place in Pep Guardiola’s strongest XI this season, after a miserable run of games without scoring earlier in the campaign convinced the Spaniard to play a false-nine system.
Jesus has long been expected to fill the void left by Aguero upon the Argentine’s departure, but the Brazilian looks some way off from becoming Guardiola’s leading man.
The City boss hinted in his pre-match interview ahead of Friday’s trip to Newcastle that decisions would be made over the future of his stars this summer, amid reports that the newly-crowned champions are in the hunt for Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.
‘We prepare for the last games of the season, and after we are going to decide next season which guys are going to follow and which guys are going to leave to go to another place,’ he said.
And Sky Sports duo Lescott and Andy Cole have expressed concern for the striker, who starts at St James’ Park.
‘I don’t think he has cemented himself as the bona fide striker for next season,’ former City defender Lescott said.
‘If he was more dominant in front of goal and more prolific I don’t think we’d be talking about city playing a false nine.
‘If they do get someone in as the recognised striker where does that leave him in terms of his mentality, does he want to play No 2 to someone potentially younger than him?’
Jesus has scored 13 goals in 38 games for the newly-crowned champions this season, having made 27 starts for Guardiola’s side.
Cole, who enjoyed a hugely successful career at Manchester United and Newcastle, believes that Jesus is reaching a critical point in his career where he needs to make an impact.
Asked if he would be happy as a second-choice striker, Cole said: ‘At 24? Me being me, no. At 24 he should now be looking to be the main striker.
‘He has had the opportunity to watch Aguero for a few years now, and if you can’t learn off someone like Aguero you are never going to learn.
‘At the age he is at now he’s got to be saying to himself next season “I am the No 1 striker.” Definitely.’
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