This was the transfer Mikel Arteta really wanted.
Arsenal needed a striker change.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was long gone and Alexandre Lacazette was also likely to leave.
After a series of transfer windows that saw the gunners focus on the defense and midfield, this summer was going to be the offensive one.
There were many potential targets, but for some time the name of Gabriel Jesus had emerged as a priority.
Arteta knew him well from Manchester City and had every trait he wanted.
After the £45m ($55m) deal was approved, Arteta said: “I’m very excited. The club did a tremendous job in signing a player of this size.
“I know Gabriel very well personally and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and the fact that he’s been really successful here.
“This is a position that has been on our radar for a long time and we managed to get the player we all wanted. So I’m really happy.”
But when given an opportunity, he almost always used it.
Since joining City in January 2017, Jesus has scored 58 goals and provided 29 assists in the Premier League.
That’s a goal contribution every 107 minutes. Only six players have had a better ratio than this since the Premier League started in 1992.
When asked about the role he was put at Arsenal to fulfill, Jesus said: “I thank God that I was able to play three or four different positions every day – but I think my position is number nine.”
“My best qualities are helping out on the pitch with or without the ball. Of course I’m a striker and I need to score.”
Arteta sees Jesus as the central striker in the 4-3-3 system he played at Arsenal in the second half of last season.
He will share this role with Eddie Nketiah, who has signed a new contract after finishing the 2021-22 season strong.
He is clearly expected to score, but is also expected to put pressure on the opposing defense.
“Jesus is the best in the world for our high intensity and high press,” Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said last season.
“Thanks to him, we can stay ahead and be very aggressive.”
This is exactly what Arteta wants from Jesus at Arsenal: He will not only be in the box, but will work tirelessly everywhere. Bukayo Saka is a player who would fit perfectly with players like Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard.
Considering that all of the Brazilian’s 58 Premier League goals for City came from inside the box, the addition of Jesus will definitely change that.
Arteta made it clear that all signings Arsenal brought in before the summer should be transfers that will get the club one level ahead of the 2022-23 season.
It was Jesus whom he wanted to transform his offense and now Arsenal have given him what he wanted.
It took almost three years to make, but Arteta finally got its own number 9.
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