Arsenal: Mikel Arteta responds to Gabriel Jesus criticism

Gabriel Jesus says he was not informed before being pushed away from Arsenal’s first team, a version disputed by Mikel Arteta.

Gabriel Jesus’ departure from Arsenal continues to generate debate. The Brazilian striker, who joined FC Barcelona this summer, claimed that “nobody told me anything” when he was suddenly made to train away from the first-team group before his transfer. Mikel Arteta says that version surprised him.

“I was very surprised, to be fair. Especially because with Gabi I had an individual talk in the dressing room. I don’t know what words were reported, but the words that we used for each other were all about gratitude,” the Arsenal manager explained.

Arteta accepts having to play the “bad cop”

Arteta nevertheless acknowledged that difficult decisions can create frustration when a player is told he is no longer part of the plan.

“Sometimes when you have to deliver bad news, or news that people don’t expect, somebody has to be the bad cop. If I have to be, I have to be. I understand.”

The Spaniard now prefers to judge their relationship over time.

“What is important is what happens three months later, six months later.”

His hope is therefore that any tension surrounding the exit will eventually disappear.

Gabriel Jesus was not Barcelona’s first choice

Jesus signed a contract with Barcelona running until June 2029. However, his arrival was not initially the Catalan club’s preferred scenario. According to reports during the transfer window, including from Goal, Barça had long viewed Julián Álvarez as a priority target to strengthen their attack. When that move failed to materialise, Gabriel Jesus emerged as a more accessible market opportunity.

His first steps in Catalonia have nevertheless been encouraging. On September 6, Jesus made his Barcelona debut in a 5-0 win away to Valencia. Three days later, he opened his account in the Champions League against Feyenoord. Introduced in the 83rd minute, he needed only two minutes to head in a Lamine Yamal cross during Barça’s 5-1 victory.

Between the controversy surrounding his Arsenal exit and an already productive start in Catalonia, Gabriel Jesus has quickly opened a new chapter in his career.

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Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

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Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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