LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) Gabriel Jesus has unveiled his behind-the-scenes involvement in Oleksandr Zinchenko’s move from Manchester City to Arsenal.
The Brazilian forward, who joined Arsenal himself in July 2022, disclosed how he played a part in convincing Zinchenko to follow suit and sign with the Gunners.
Jesus humorously stated, “If I convinced him to come, he has to give me something, no?! I’m joking! I was in Manchester at home with my family, and I was supposed to come to London the day after by car.
“Edu just texted me and said they were going to Zinny’s house, if I wanted to join them to talk with Zin, so I said, ‘OK.’
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“I went there and talked with him. He was surprised. I just said, ‘Zin, you have to make a decision like I did, and I am happy with this.’
“He was a little bit like, ‘I don’t know, I need to talk with my wife first,’ but he made the decision (to come). I think if you ask him, it was the right decision.”
Jesus also emphasized that now that Arsenal has qualified for the Champions League after a six-year hiatus, they should aim to win the competition for the first time.
He remarked, “Now it is easy to say, but I was 100 per cent confident Arsenal would get back in the Champions League last season.
“In all competitions and for all trophies, we aim to win. The Champions League is no different.
“If we think otherwise, we are mistaken because we represent Arsenal. We must believe in our teammates, the manager, the club, and then give it our all.”
Arsenal, managed by Mikel Arteta, will kick off their 2023-24 Champions League campaign on Wednesday when they face PSV at the Emirates Stadium.