The wait for Gabriel Jesus to become an Arsenal player was a long one, but the length of time it took him to make an impact was startlingly short.
Just 90 seconds after being introduced at half time of the Gunners' preseason friendly with FC Nurnberg, the Brazilian had the ball in the back of the net to set the Arsenal social media hype train off at full speed. Across the next 45 minutes he would do little to put the breaks on the anticipation he had started as he was heavily involved in four goals that helped his new side turn a 2-0 deficit into a 5-3 victory.
With how motivated Jesus appeared to impress on his Arsenal bow, it was impossible not to suspect that the Brazilian had been given some inspirational speech by manager Mikel Arteta at half time. In reality though, the prelude to such a magnificent debut was actually relatively mundane.
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"Just normal things," Jesus tells football.london at a launch party for Arsenal's new away kit when asked about Arteta's message to him prior to his instant impact. "Go do this, do that, the movements that you have done already in the training sessions. Do your job like this and then enjoy with the lads."
Perhaps the reason for this more relaxed approach is because of how well, Arteta knows his new signing. Having worked with Jesus at Manchester City during his time as an assistant coach to Pep Guardiola, there is no need to waste any time feeling the Brazilian out.
While that head start is undoubtedly a boost for Arteta as he prepares for the coming season, on the player's side it is a positive too. Jesus had plenty of interest from the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and other clubs on the continent before deciding to join Arsenal, and admits his previous boss' knowledge of him was an integral factor in choosing where he would end up.
"Well, in the beginning when we started to talk about the transfer it was with Edu and I knew already then that Mikel wanted me to come to join the club," he says. "They showed me the project and everything about the club. Then they showed me some stuff about my statistics and I was so surprised. They want to me to come, to help, to improve as a player so yeah, that’s why I’m here.
"I’ve worked with [Arteta] at City so I know him a bit. He helped me a lot to improve my finishing after training sessions, that’s what I know about him. Then we talked a little bit before I joined and he explained to me the project and everything. That’s why. In life you always want to do everything with a reason, that’s why I came to try to help and to learn and to win with the team."
The link with Arteta is just one of a multitude of reasons why Jesus' arrival feels like an obvious fit. Whereas last year Arsenal found themselves tactically restricted by the immobility of Alexandre Lacazette, they now have a centre forward capable of coming short and running in behind. The Brazilian has also already shown himself to be comfortable playing in a two with Eddie Nketiah and has played on both wings for Manchester City. This unpredictability already looks to have made the Gunners a more potent attack.
Away from the footballing side of things though, there are other attributes that Jesus brings to this young Arsenal squad that they have been accused of been lacking. The stereotype of the Gunners being a soft touch has stuck with them since the days of Arsene Wenger's time in charge and last season even Arteta himself admitted his side have been guilty of being "naive."
Jesus though bucks that trend. The Brazilian is a streetwise centre forward as ready to engage in the ugly side of the game as he is the beautiful one. It only took a few minutes of his second Arsenal game against Everton in Baltimore to evidence this as he fought off a scrap with former teammate Yerry Mina.
"You know what I’ve played with Mina before in Palmeiras and we were so close together, and after I don’t know why but he started to touch me, to pinch me on my chest and then talking s**t," he says. "I don’t know why or for what reason he did this. At the end I’m not a kid anymore and I went straight to him as well. After we won the game, and that’s all that matters.
"Sometimes the defenders kick you so much and your reaction is to kick as well. Always in my life I try to be calm, concentrate on the game, be focused on my game, because anything can happen. At the end it’s sometimes something I have to do as well."
Arteta was quick to praise this side of Jesus' game in the aftermath of the Everton match, and it seems clear that the Brazilian is an example he's happy for the rest of his young squad to follow. He has been part of the supporting cast for some time at Manchester City, but Jesus is now relishing being one of the main men at Arsenal. He has already established himself as a leader in the group forming a close bond with many of his teammates, while sources at the club have revealed that he has not been shy about voicing things that he feels need to be changed.
For Jesus though this side of his personality comes naturally. Rather than actively trying to force his leadership style on to the Gunners young squad, he admits that he prefers to lead by example. However, should any of them want to come to him to speak about any advice, then the Brazilian's door is always open.
"I’m not like this where because I’ve lived something that the youngers haven’t lived yet, I want to talk," he says. "I just show in the training session by working hard and that’s it. If they want to come to talk with me to show me something that I didn’t see, they can come and talk, and if I can I do as well."
Jesus is set to be joined by fellow former Manchester City star Olenksandr Zinchenko and it does seem clear that Arteta is trying to follow the example that his former mentor Pep Guardiola has set in the North East. For all of City's beautiful play though, what sets them apart from their intense competition is their winning mentality. Having fallen short at the final hurdle last season it appears that Arsenal's new signings could have what they need to get them over the line this time around.
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