TAKING THE MIK! Arteta fires back at Jesus as public war of words over bitter Arsenal transfer exit escalates

Mikel Arteta has admitted he was "very surprised" to hear criticism from Gabriel Jesus over the way he was treated by Arsenal before leaving for Barcelona this summer.

Jesus joined Barca for a fee in the region of £8.5million in the latter stages of the summer transfer window, having fallen behind Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres in the pecking order. He was part of a group of players who were moved on, along with Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Christian Norgaard, Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson.

The method by which Arteta went about offloading the unwanted players caused a stir, with club legend Ian Wright saying he felt "uncomfortable" over the way Martinelli was cast aside. Jesus was delighted to land on his feet at Barca, but says "nobody told me nothing" and he was made to train alone.

Arteta prides himself on having a close relationship with his players and appeared hurt when the comments were put to him ahead of Arsenal's game against Sunderland on Saturday.

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"Very surprised, to be fair especially because with Gabriel I had an individual talk in the dressing room," Arteta told reporters in his pre-match press conference. "I don't know what the words were said, it's fine.

"And the words that we used for each other, it was all about gratitude. So, I don't know, it's okay. Sometimes I understand when you have to deliver bad news or news that people don't expect

"Those things are reactive. Somebody has to be there to back up, if I have to be. I have to be. And I understand.

"What is important is normally what happens three months later, six months later, when Trossard comes in, he's in the dressing room with all of us, the atmosphere and the relation you have. And thanks God so far, with all the players that they left, at some point their relationship has been really good. I hope that's the same case."

Speaking to SportyTV, Jesus had said: "So, the truth is, I was training, I did all the pre-season with Arsenal as normal. Obviously, I knew already that probably I would not play there or get many opportunities, but nobody told me nothing.

"Well, I am a professional. Obviously I was training with the group. Then, from nothing, they put me to train away from the group.

"Well, I was training, I was doing my maximum to be ready if I have a chance to play at a high level again. Then, obviously, in the last week it was very quick.

"The work with Deco, the president of the club, and my agent was amazing. In one day, it was sure that I would have the opportunity to come (to Barcelona). I said yes, straight away, no matter what and I am so happy to be here."

Martinelli was sold to Al-Hilal for a club-record fee of £60m following a protracted and awkward few weeks in which he rejected a move to Turkey. Wright said Martinelli was "not being spoken to" and "doesn't know what's going on" when asked about why he felt the Brazilian deserved better treatment.

He added: "For him to be nowhere near it, just makes me feel a bit sad for him. I think he's done enough in this squad to be treated with a bit more respect than he's been treated at the moment."

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