One conversation with Mikel Arteta was all it needed for Gabriel Jesus to decide what to do.
Although several clubs were interested in signing the Brazil international this summer, his heart was set on moving to north London.
For Jesus, it was all about trust, the ongoing Arsenal enterprise, and the conviction that his goals could be achieved at the Emirates Stadium.
As he gets ready to make his Gunners debut on Friday night in a preseason friendly against Nurnberg, the 25-year-old spoke exclusively to GOAL to explain why leaving Manchester City for Arsenal in a £45 million deal was so alluring.
In his life, he had always enjoyed projects. “When Edu came to talk to me, I was overjoyed with the club’s ideas. Their desired course of action and activities.
Then, I was fairly certain that I would visit Arsenal. But after speaking with Mikel, I was quite certain. because I have faith in him. because I believe in this vast club. I also believe in myself.
“There is a lot of talent here. Very good players. And young players. Like me, I’m still young. So everyone is together in this. Like a family. That is what I want.”
Time for Gabriel Jesus to make his mark 💥 pic.twitter.com/tuGC5C082k
— GOAL (@goal) July 4, 2022
Jesus added: “I have already worked with Mikel, so I I know his ideas a little bit. I know the way he wants to play. I think it is quite similar to Pep Guardiola and I think that fits well. I’ve come to try to help the guys and I’ll try to learn with them as well. As a family.
“I am so happy with the group. It was good to see everyone when I joined the club for the first day.
“It is a big family here. We are going to play well, train well and at the end of the season, I am pretty sure, we are going to win something.”
Winning something would be nothing new to Jesus. In fact, since he arrived in England from Brazil in January 2017, there are few players as decorated as the forward.
He lifted the Premier League title on four separate occasions while he was with Guardiola’s side, while also claiming three League Cup winners medals during his time at the Etihad, as well as one FA Cup.
Winning comes naturally to him, and it is why Arteta was so keen to bring him to Arsenal and have him as the central figure of his new-look attack.
Jesus himself is adamant he wouldn’t have agreed to the move if he didn’t think he could add to his medal tally in north London.
“First of all, [I need] to adapt,” he said. “Adapt to the club, adapt with the players, the way they play and the way they are. After this, everything else will come naturally. This is football. Football is the same everywhere.
- Arsenal acquires Gabriel Jesus from Man City for £45 million, becoming the new No. 9 for the Gunners.
- Richarlison’s £50 million trade to Spurs is almost finalized, and the Everton attacker will soon have a medical.
“Then at the end of the season I want to win something. Win trophies. Like everybody here at Arsenal. That is the only way to make myself a name in the history of this big club.
Jesus added: “It is a big club with a big project. When Edu explained to me what they want for the future, I was so excited to join Arsenal because I love the project.
“I want to win trophies. I want to win everything.”
When he was growing up as a child in Sao Paulo, Jesus was unable to watch much European football.
But when he did manage to catch any, there was one player who always stood out. Thierry Henry.
Jesus grew up idolising the Frenchman, but as he now prepares to follow in his footsteps at Arsenal, the Brazilian wants to write his own success story at the club.
“When you say Arsenal, you mean Thierry Henry,” said Jesus. “Thierry is unique, he is one of the greatest players ever.
“But I don’t want to be the new Thierry Henry. I want to make myself a name in this club’s history.
“I will be there: 90 minutes per game in the box, trying to score, trying to help. Not only with goals, also with assists. Covering the ball. Running, in my style. Never stop.
“Helping my team, helping my team-mates. Yeah, that’s me.”
