By Isaac Mission
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted he was surprised by Gabriel Jesus’ public criticism of the club following the Brazilian forward’s summer move to Barcelona.
Jesus completed a £12.8 million transfer to Barcelona on Deadline Day after Arsenal indicated that he was no longer central to Arteta’s plans for the new season.
The 29-year-old forward subsequently spoke about his departure in an interview in Spain, claiming that Arsenal suddenly separated him from the first-team squad during pre-season without giving him an explanation.
Jesus said he had initially continued training normally with the team despite being aware that his playing opportunities could decrease. According to the striker, he was later instructed to train separately.
Arteta addressed the comments during his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League meeting with Sunderland.
The Arsenal boss said he was particularly surprised because he believed his private conversation with Jesus before the transfer had ended positively.
Arteta explained that their discussion centred on mutual gratitude, while acknowledging that difficult decisions can sometimes leave players unhappy.
“I understand,” Arteta said, adding that when unpopular news has to be delivered, someone may inevitably have to take responsibility for it.
Jesus has already made an encouraging start to life in Spain. He scored for Barcelona during their 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord, heading in from a cross supplied by Lamine Yamal.
Arteta also pointed to Leandro Trossard as an example of how relationships between departing players and Arsenal can improve with time. Trossard, who also left the club during the summer, returned to the Emirates last weekend to watch Arsenal defeat Chelsea 2-1 and later visited the dressing room.
The Arsenal manager said he hopes Jesus and other players who have left the club will eventually maintain similarly positive relationships with their former teammates.
For Arteta, the most important measure is not necessarily how a player feels immediately after leaving, but how the relationship develops months later.
He expressed hope that the current tension surrounding Jesus’ departure will eventually give way to a more cordial relationship.
