Gabriel Jesus has spoken out against the manner in which Arsenal treated him in the final weeks before his surprise move to Barcelona, suggesting he was frozen out without proper communication from the club.
The Brazilian forward completed a move to the Spanish giants for £8.6 million on the last day of the summer transfer window, closing a four-year spell in north London that began when he arrived from Manchester City in 2022. During his time at Arsenal, Jesus made 123 appearances and scored 32 goals, and was part of the squad that won the Premier League title.
Despite being fully involved in Arsenal's pre-season, featuring in four matches, Jesus found himself excluded from both of the club's opening Premier League squads before his exit was finalized. He also revealed he was made to train separately from the rest of the first-team group in his final days at the club.
"The truth is I was training, I did all the pre-season training with Arsenal [as] normal and then obviously I knew already that probably I will not play there or get some opportunity," Jesus told SportyTV.
He added that the club did not properly inform him of the decision to sideline him. "But no-one told me nothing," he said. "I'm a professional you know and then obviously I was training with the group and then from nothing they put me to train away from the group."
Jesus insisted he continued to prepare diligently despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, hoping for a chance to prove himself again at the top level. "I was training and doing my maximum to be ready if I have the chance to play in a high level again and then obviously in the last week it was very quick," he explained, referring to how swiftly his move to Barcelona came together.
On the negotiations that led to his arrival at the Camp Nou, Jesus praised those involved in making the deal happen quickly. "The work with Deco, and the president of the club, and my agent was amazing," he said. "In one day, it was sure that I would have the opportunity to come [to Barcelona]. I said yes, straight away, no matter what and I am so happy to be here."
Jesus endured a difficult period with injuries during his Arsenal career, most significantly missing a large portion of 2025 after suffering a cruciate ligament tear. Nevertheless, he remained a key figure in the squad's title-winning campaign, contributing to what many at the club viewed as a shift in mentality and belief.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta offered a warm farewell to his former striker, acknowledging the impact Jesus had on the club's culture since his arrival. "He was a massive contributor for us to change the dynamic and the energy in and around this club," Arteta said.
The Spanish coach elaborated on the qualities Jesus brought to the squad beyond his output on the pitch. "I think when Gabi came in he brought this energy, this belief within, this aura, that's really helped achieve what happened next," he said.
Arteta also wished his former player well in his new chapter at Barcelona, recognizing the magnitude of the opportunity now in front of him. "And now, yeah, he has an amazing opportunity to enjoy one of the biggest clubs in the world, and a beautiful place to live as well, and we are happy for him," the Arsenal boss said.
Jesus now begins a new chapter of his career at one of Europe's most storied clubs, aiming to rebuild momentum after a turbulent finish to his Arsenal tenure.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.