Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta responds to Gabriel Jesus claims after Barcelona transfer

Mikel Arteta has admitted that helium was “very surprised” by Gabriel Jesus's comments astir the circumstances surrounding his Arsenal exit pursuing the striker's deadline-day determination to Barcelona.

Jesus ended his four-year spell astatine the Emirates Stadium successful the closing stages of the summertime transportation window, joining Barcelona for a reported €10m aft falling down Viktor Gyokeres successful Arsenal's attacking hierarchy.

The Brazil planetary subsequently suggested that connection implicit his aboriginal had been lacking, claiming that helium completed pre-season with Arteta's archetypal squad earlier abruptly being instructed to bid separately.

Speaking up of Arsenal's Premier League gathering with Sunderland, however, Arteta offered a antithetic position connected the mode Jesus's departure was handled.

“I was precise surprised, to beryllium honest,” Arteta said.

“Especially due to the fact that with Gabi, I had a backstage speech successful the dressing room. I don't cognize what words were said, that's fine, and the words that we exchanged betwixt ourselves were each of gratitude.”

What did Gabriel Jesus accidental astir his Arsenal exit?

Jesus had returned to enactment aft spending overmuch of 2025 sidelined with a superior genu wounded and was progressive during Arsenal's pre-season preparations.

However, his prospects of regular shot had diminished pursuing the emergence of Gyokeres arsenic Arteta's preferred centre-forward.

Jesus was not included successful Arsenal's squads astatine the opening of the Premier League run and aboriginal spoke openly astir his vexation implicit however his concern developed.

“I was training. I did the full pre-season usually with Arsenal and, obviously, I already knew that I astir apt wouldn't play determination oregon person an opportunity,” Jesus told SportyTV.

“But cipher was telling maine anything. I was grooming with the radical and abruptly they enactment maine to bid separately.”

The 29-year-old had attracted involvement from respective clubs during the window, with Napoli, AC Milan, Juventus and Atletico Madrid each linked with moves earlier Barcelona yet entered the race.

His departure was portion of a important reshaping of Arsenal's attack, with Gabriel Martinelli besides joining Al-Hilal and Leandro Trossard moving to Besiktas.

Jesus, though, was the subordinate who publically expressed disappointment with the mode his last weeks successful North London were managed.

Arteta did not straight quality that his erstwhile striker had been moved distant from the main radical but insisted that hard conversations are sometimes an unavoidable portion of management.

“When you person to springiness atrocious news, oregon quality that radical are not expecting, those reactions are natural,” the Arsenal brag said.

“Someone needs to beryllium determination to enactment them. If I person to beryllium that person, I volition be, and I understand.”

Gabriel Jesus already making Barcelona impact

Whatever the disagreement implicit his Arsenal exit, Jesus has made an encouraging commencement to beingness successful Spain.

Barcelona moved for the erstwhile Manchester City striker aft failing to scope an statement with Atletico Madrid for Julian Alvarez, completing the Jesus woody successful little than a time erstwhile negotiations accelerated.

He has signed a three-year declaration and is expected to supply Hansi Flick with different versatile enactment crossed the guardant enactment alternatively than instantly becoming an automatic starter.

Raphinha has progressively operated arsenic Barcelona's cardinal attacker, meaning Jesus has initially arrived arsenic a rotation option.

That concern whitethorn look akin to the contention helium faced astatine Arsenal, but the Brazilian has already been fixed opportunities by Flick.

Jesus made his Barcelona debut from the seat during the 5-0 La Liga triumph implicit Valencia earlier opening his relationship successful his 2nd quality during the 5-1 Champions League triumph against Feyenoord.

Introduced during the 2nd fractional of Barcelona's 5-1 Champions League triumph against Feyenoord, the striker scored with a header to registry his archetypal extremity for the Catalan club.

The onslaught took Jesus to 27 Champions League goals, drafting him level with Rivaldo among the starring Brazilian scorers successful the competition.

“It is the aforesaid feeling arsenic erstwhile I scored the archetypal extremity of my career, a antithetic emotion,” Jesus said afterwards.

“My archetypal extremity astatine a afloat Camp Nou is thing I ever imagined, and I was already capable to execute it successful my 2nd game.

“I truly similar playing successful this competition. Last twelvemonth I came close, and I anticipation this play volition beryllium different.”

For Arsenal, the absorption has already shifted towards a new-look onslaught built astir Gyokeres.

Yet Arteta's latest comments amusement that determination remains a wide quality successful cognition implicit however Jesus's last days astatine the Emirates unfolded, adjacent if some subordinate and nine person present moved on.