Arteta Responds to Claims of Mishandled Departures at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has pushed back hard against claims that Arsenal mishandled the departures of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli, insisting difficult conversations did take place and that relationships were left on good terms.

The Arsenal manager faced questions after Jesus admitted frustration over his £12.5m move to Barcelona, saying "nobody told me anything" when he was told to train away from the first team in the build-up to the transfer. The Brazilian’s comments reopened a debate that had already been simmering since club legend Ian Wright criticised the way Martinelli was frozen out before his £60m switch to Al Hilal.

Arteta, speaking on Friday, did not hide his surprise.

"Very surprised, to be fair, especially because with Gabi [Jesus] I had an individual talk in the dressing room," he said. "I don't know what words were said, it is fine."

He stressed that his final exchanges with Jesus were anything but cold.

"The words we used for each other, it was all about gratitude," Arteta added. "I don't know, it is OK. Sometimes I understand when you have to deliver bad news or news that people don't expect, those things [you can] react [to]."

The suggestion that players were cut adrift without explanation clearly grated. Arteta leaned on a recent example to show that, in his view, professional decisions do not have to poison personal ties.

He pointed to Leandro Trossard, who left for Besiktas in a £15m deal this summer, yet was back in the Emirates Stadium dressing room after Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Chelsea, laughing and chatting with his former team-mates.

"Somebody has to be the bad cop," Arteta said. "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 is the dressing room with us, the atmosphere and the relationship you have."

That is the time frame he is banking on with Jesus and Martinelli too. Feelings are raw now; he expects that to soften.

"Things got so far with other players that they left, at some point the relationship has been really good," he said. "I hope that is the same case."

For now, Arsenal have little interest in letting the noise drag them off course. They travel to Sunderland on Saturday night, intent on extending a perfect start to the season and riding the surge of confidence from Wednesday’s Champions League victory away to Napoli.

Arteta confirmed that Ben White, who limped late on in Italy, is "fine" and available. Cristhian Mosquera, though, faces a race against time as medical staff assess a muscular issue.

The off-field debate rumbles on. The season, and Arsenal’s response to it, will be decided on nights like Sunderland away.