Premier League: How Guardiola Forced Me Out Of Man City - Jesus

Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has opened up on the role Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola played in his exit from the club in the summer.

The Brazilian forward ditched the Etihad Stadium to team up with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.

He has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2022-23 Premier League season, scoring four goals and recording three assists.

He has now revealed what led to his departure from Manchester City after five successful years.

Speaking to ESPN Brasil, Jesus said:” The thing was the way [Guardiola] understands football and what he wanted.

“Then it was up to you to accept it or not. If you don’t accept it, ‘thank you and let’s go for another challenge.'

“I accepted it for a while, but there came a moment when I said: ‘I want another thing for myself.’

"I thanked him, ‘thanks for everything,’ he understood, and we moved on.

“It is different here at Arsenal. The football is different – different players, different ways to play.

“At City, it was different. The striker didn’t touch the ball that much, you see this by watching the games.

"And, when it was time to touch the ball, it was not the striker because [Guardiola] ended up putting a midfielder to come closer. OK, fine. So, I decided to change.”

The 25-year-old said a conversation with Mikel Arteta convinced him to join Arsenal.

“I talked a lot with Arteta about Arsenal’s style,” Jesus added.

“He knows me, I know him, I understood what he wanted from me.

"Now, I’m free on the pitch, playing football with a smile on my face and trying to do my best all the time.”

Jesus and his Arsenal teammates will battle it out with Tottenham on Saturday in the North London derby for a chance to extend their strong start to the season.