Gabriel Jesus has spoken about his sudden departure from Arsenal to Barcelona, detailing his frustration over the manner in which he left.
Gabriel Jesus joined Arsenal from Manchester City in the 2022 summer transfer window for a fee of £45 million.
Jesus started his life at Arsenal perfectly. His performances were consistently impressive, and he brought the best out of both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
Unfortunately, Jesus had multiple long-term injuries, leaving the Brazilian on the sidelines for the majority of his first season and the following season. Since then, he has struggled to find regular minutes in the starting lineup, especially with the form of Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres.
In his final season, Jesus finally became a Premier League champion with Arsenal, before leaving the club to play for Barcelona.
Jesus reveals why he left Arsenal
After joining Barcelona, Jesus revealed that there was a breakdown in communication during the final weeks of his time at Arsenal, suggesting that his professionalism was met with a cold shoulder from those in charge.
The Brazilian explained that during his final weeks at Arsenal, he was sidelined without a formal discussion regarding the future of his role within Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Speaking to SportyTV and relayed by GOAL, Jesus said: “The truth is, I was training, I did the entire preseason normally with Arsenal, and I already knew that, probably, I wouldn’t play as much or wouldn’t have as many opportunities. But nobody told me anything.
“I’m a professional, obviously I was training with the group, and out of nowhere they put me to train apart from the group.”
Jesus maintained that he remained dedicated to his fitness and professional duties, even when it became clear the club preferred to move in another direction.
“I was doing my maximum [in training] to be ready, in case I got the chance to play at a high level again, and then in the last week [everything happened] very quick”, Jesus said.
Jesus’ departure was sudden
With his position at Arsenal becoming uncertain, a solution to Jesus’ problems suddenly appeared in the form of Spanish giants Barcelona.
Jesus explained that his move to the Spanish champions was facilitated by high-level discussions involving the Barcelona board and his agents.
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“The work of Deco, the president [the president of Barcelona], and the club and my agent was amazing. When we were sure that I had the opportunity to come, obviously I said yes straight away, no matter what. Now I’m happy so happy to be here.”, Jesus said.
For Arsenal, the departure of Gabriel Jesus signifies the end of an era as the squad continues to develop and pursue trophies.