Arsenal boss Arteta 'very surprised' at Jesus blast over Barcelona move

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed surprise at Gabriel Jesus's assertion that he was forced to train alone and received no information prior to his transfer to Barcelona. The Brazilian forward ended his four-year tenure with the Gunners in September and has since accused the club of handling his exit poorly. Jesus claimed that he was suddenly made to train separately from the team and that no one informed him about his impending departure.

In response to Jesus's criticism, Arteta stated that he had spoken to the former Manchester City star about the transfer and parted on good terms. Arteta acknowledged that he and Jesus had an individual conversation in the dressing room, during which they expressed gratitude. Despite facing backlash from former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, who expressed discomfort with the perceived lack of communication between the club and Gabriel Martinelli, who recently transferred to Al Hilal, Arteta emphasized the club's relationships with former players.

He cited the presence of Leandro Trossard, who was sold to Besiktas in July, during Arsenal's recent victory over Chelsea as evidence of the strong bond between the team and its ex-players. Arteta acknowledged that difficult conversations sometimes need to be made, but expressed hope that the same good relationships would continue with the players who left.