Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has explained how the Gunners beat arch-rivals Tottenham to the signature of Gabriel Jesus this summer.
The Brazilian joined the club from Manchester City for £45m this summer and has excelled since arriving at the Emirates.
Jesus has scored four times and added three assists in just seven Premier League games, making a huge difference to the Arsenal front-line.
He was linked with several clubs in the summer including Chelsea and Spurs and, speaking ahead of today’s north London derby, Arteta opened up on how the Gunners were able to secure his signature.
‘Edu had a talk with him to express and project and what the club is about,’ the Spaniard told his pre-match press conference.
‘He explained the role he would have at the club. I then spoke to him so it was a team effort and he clearly understood what we wanted to do.
‘The relationship with him (Edu was general coordinator of the Brazil national team from 2016-2019) helped because we had that trust and then the decision was up to him.’
Arteta also gave his full backing to the forward after he missed out on the most recent Brazil squad.
The Gunners trio of Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes were all left out by Brazil coach Tite during the international break, with Selecao dispatching Ghana and Tunisia 3-0 and 5-1 respectively.
Tottenham forward Richarlison was preferred up front for the national team and scored three times across the two games.
Jesus will go head-to-head with his rival for the No 9 shirt on Saturday and Arteta explained how he has picked him up after being omitted from the national team.
He said: ‘I understand how they are feeling how it has hit them and how can we help them. They just have to put their head down and take it on the chin, try and play at the level he’s been playing at to make it even harder to leave him out.’
Arteta meanwhile kept tight-lipped on Arsenal’s injury news ahead of today’s crucial north London derby.
