LONDON – Arsenal signed Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus on a long-term contract.
The Brazil international makes the move in a reported £45 million ($54 million) deal. He scored 95 goals in 236 games over nearly six seasons at City and won the Premier League four times, League Cup three times and the FA Cup.
Jesus, 25, reunites with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who was Pep Guardiola´s assistant at City before taking over the Gunners.
“We spoke a couple of times about the club, the players, the project and the future,” he told arsenal.com.
“I believe 100 percent in Mikel. I had a very good time with him before, he´s a very good guy and a very good coach as well.
“He helped me a lot. We would always stick together after the training sessions and do some finishing or something.
“He´s a very intelligent guy and was an amazing player, so if he knows something he can teach me or the young player.
Arsenal needed reinforcement up front after the departure of Alexandre Lacazette, whose contract expired, and Arteta knew the man he wanted to come in.
“I´m very excited. The club has done a tremendous job to recruit a player of this stature,” he said.
“I know Gabriel personally very well, and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and being really successful here.
“This is a position that´s been on our radar for a long time now and we have managed to get a player that we all wanted, so I´m really happy.”
Elsewhere, Manchester United has agreed a deal in principle to sign Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen on a free transfer.
United manager Erik ten Hag made the three-year contract offer to Eriksen after the Dane’s impressive comeback with Brentford.
The 30-year-old is reported to have a verbal agreement with United and will officially complete his move to Old Trafford after a medical.
Eriksen’s impending switch to United completes an incredible return after his brush with death last year.
He had a cardiac arrest on the pitch in Copenhagen while playing for Denmark at the European Championship and was forced to leave Inter Milan after recovering due to Serie A health regulations.
Eriksen, fitted with a implantable cardioverter defibrillator, proved his form and fitness during a loan spell at Brentford in the second half of last season.
He played 11 times in the Premier League for Brentford, scoring once and providing four assists.
Eriksen was also targeted by his former club Tottenham, but was impressed by Ten Hag after training with Ajax as part of his return to football following the cardiac arrest.
Ten Hag, who took charge at United in the close-season after leaving Ajax, is looking to revamp his new team after they finished a disappointing sixth in the Premier League last term.
United missed out on a place in this season’s Champions League and could see Cristiano Ronaldo depart after the Portugal striker reportedly demanded a move to a team in Europe’s elite club competition.
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