Mikel Arteta has detailed the conversation he held with Gabriel Jesus before the Brazilian forward signed for FC Barcelona this summer. The Arsenal manager, whose side are the reigning Premier League champions, described the dialogue as one 'of gratitude' and accepted the role of 'bad policeman' if the situation demanded it.
Arteta revealed he had an individual talk with the 29-year-old in the dressing room. "To be honest, especially with 'Gabi' (Gabriel Jesus) I had an individual chat in the dressing room," the Spanish coach said. He added that the words exchanged were positive but acknowledged the need to set boundaries within a professional group. "The words we exchanged were all of gratitude but if someone has to be the bad policeman, I will be and I understand it," Arteta stated.
The context of the departure
Gabriel Jesus's move came in a summer that also saw Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli leave Arsenal. Arteta expressed surprise at the media noise surrounding the Brazilian's exit and hoped his relationship with the player would improve over time, as has happened with other footballers who left the London club. In the weeks before his transfer, Jesus had been training outside the main group dynamic, a detail the manager did not specifically comment on.
Immediate impact at Barcelona
The arrival of Gabriel Jesus has been complemented by a spectacular start to the season for Barcelona. The Blaugrana lead La Liga with a perfect 12 points from 12, following four consecutive victories. Their latest display was a commanding 5-1 win over Feyenoord in the Champions League, a match in which Jesus himself scored Barcelona's fifth goal in the 85th minute, assisted by Lamine Yamal. The run of five straight wins, which includes a 0-5 away win at Valencia, shows a team in full flow.
With Frenkie de Jong, Roony Bardghji and Jesse Bisiwu currently sidelined, the contribution of an experienced forward like Jesus gains even more value. The next challenge is the home league match against 10th-placed Racing Santander on September 16. The Brazilian, who has already opened his scoring account, will look to cement his place in an attack that has netted 17 goals in four league matches. To follow the team's performance and squad details, visit our stats and squad pages.
