At the start of last season, Gabriel Jesus told Pep Guardiola he wanted to play as a winger, leaving Manchester City without any recognised strikers for the campaign.
Then, towards the end of the season, Jesus backtracked and insisted he always wanted to be a central striker, hinting that he may have to leave City to get the games and opportunities through the middle that he desired.
Now, after joining Arsenal and declaring that he always wanted to be a 'number nine', Jesus says it was a lack of confidence that saw him move away from a central role, with the issue stemming back as far as the 2018 World Cup.
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Speaking after his impressive two goals and two assists vs Leicester on his home debut for Arsenal, Jesus told ESPN Brazil (via Football.London ): "After the World Cup I thought that I couldn't play as a number nine. I started playing much more on the wing at City and for Brazil.
"For a while I thought that. But I've changed my mentality, I believe much more in myself now. I'm smiling again playing football. I’m very blessed as I can play across all front three but I am a No.9. I am there to finish our chances. Not only that but to help the team as a whole.”
Jesus has started life well at Arsenal, scoring a few goals in pre-season and looking lively on their opening day win at Crystal Palace before his brace against Leicester.
Boss Mikel Arteta said as well as his quality in front of goal, Jesus is also lifting standards in the Arsenal dressing room, with some reports claiming Arteta has already named Jesus as a vice-captain at the Emirates.
"He's still disappointed in the dressing room because he said he could have scored four," Arteta said after the Leicester game.
"That's the standard, that's the mentality. I think it lifts the standards with the way he's training every day and the way that he's talking and the way that they are connecting."
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