Emile Smith Rowe believes Arsenal are looking well prepared ahead of the new Premier League season, and has been impressed by new addition Gabriel Jesus.

The Gunners narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification last term after losing crucial games to Tottenham and Newcastle United, and they responded by investing heavily in the squad during the transfer window.

Their marquee signing so far has been Jesus, who arrived for a reported £45million from Manchester City.

The Brazil striker left Pep Guardiola's team for Arsenal after starting just 28 games in all competitions last season, scoring 13 goals.

Only Riyad Mahrez (24), Kevin De Bruyne (19), Raheem Sterling (17) and Phil Foden (14) outscored Jesus for City last term, as Guardiola's men successfully defended their title by a single point ahead of Liverpool.

Jesus has already been finding the net on a regular basis for his new club during pre-season, including scoring a hat-trick in Saturday's 6-0 friendly win against Sevilla at Emirates Stadium.

Speaking to Five, Smith Rowe was positive about how he and his team-mates are preparing for the new season, and reserved particular praise for the early impression made by Jesus.

"The players that have come back [from last season], I already know how good they are, so it's not a surprise to see how good they are and how well they are doing," he said.

"But from the new players, I think Gabriel Jesus [has been the most impressive]. I didn't actually realise how sharp he was.

"Obviously, playing against him, it's different. You see him, watching Man City before [he signed]. But when you actually see him in training...

"I've been telling my friends, they're always asking, and I'm like 'he's ridiculous'. Everyone in the team is really excited for the new season, and the fans should be as well, I think."

Arsenal get their campaign under way with a trip to Crystal Palace on Friday.

Mikel Arteta believes the arrival of Gabriel Jesus at Arsenal has already turned captain Martin Odegaard into a better and more influential player.

The Gunners' preparations for the new season concluded in style on Saturday with a 6-0 thrashing of Sevilla at Emirates Stadium, with Jesus' hat-trick coming alongside a double from Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah's strike off the bench.

Jesus' quick start to life in north London has been a huge talking point since his signing from Manchester City, with the Brazilian netting seven pre-season goals.

Odegaard, meanwhile, was named as Arsenal's permanent captain ahead of the win against Sevilla, and Arteta is confident the addition of Jesus will help the former Real Madrid playmaker hit new heights.

"Gaby makes Odegaard better. We needed someone to make him look better. The connection is there," Arteta told a news conference after the win.

"Jesus plays with that intensity to win the ball and play in the opposition half. You can't do that if players don't work.

Pep Guardiola is confident Erling Haaland and the rest of Manchester City's new signings will settle in swiftly, though he acknowledged the Premier League champions have lost some key players.

Club stalwart Fernandinho left when his contract expired at the end of last season, and City have sold three other players who played a role in Guardiola's success, with Raheem Sterling joining Chelsea while Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko departed for Arsenal.

City already have most of their replacements through the door. Julian Alvarez was signed in January and has now linked up with the squad, while a deal was struck with Borussia Dortmund for prolific striker Haaland in May.

Kalvin Phillips has been signed from Leeds United to bolster City's midfield and Stefan Ortega has joined as a back-up goalkeeper, facilitating a loan move to Middlesbrough for Zack Steffen.

City's new recruits could get their first taste of competitive action on Saturday, when Guardiola's side face FA Cup winners Liverpool in the Community Shield.

Though he has been impressed with how quickly the new arrivals have started their City careers, Guardiola emphasised how important the players who have moved on were to his squad.

He told a news conference: "If you analyse what happened in the last years, without these important players it would be difficult to imagine it. We wish all of them the best.

"New people arrived, they settled quickly, down to earth and very humble people. We are going to try, this is Manchester City, we are all of us, we try to be a competitive team, to win our first title. 

"It's an honour to compete again [for the Community Shield], we will try to do a good game against an opponent we know well, it will dictate a little bit how is our moment, our level. Two, three weeks of pre-season is too short, but I saw many good things in this period."

Asked if it would take time for his new players to adapt, Guardiola said: "Hopefully not, the quicker they settle the better. It's my feeling they will not take time.

"Stefan surprised us a lot, how good he is on the ball and with our build-up, Kalvin knows the Premier League perfectly. The way they've listened, behaved, the minutes they've played. I think they'll settle quickly."

Guardiola was pressed on whether this was a "reset" the squad required, but the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona boss stressed that was not necessarily the case.

"Sometimes the transfer market dictates what you want to do," he explained. "The first season when we arrived we tried to loan, sell players and could not. This year I do not know what happened.

"Sometimes you want to do things, but it depends not just how good or bad we are but on the situations, and these situations happened quicker than we expected.

"The three players who have been sold, if they stayed with us they would have been incredibly happy. I know them, they [would have] continued to do what they had done. These situations have happened, we make our replacements, and they are here.

"Normally when a project is six, seven years, you are not seven years with the same people. When I arrived there was just Kevin [De Bruyne]. We have gratitude for the guys that were here. All the players have made an incredible contribution, we can only be grateful."

City are interested in signing Brighton and Hove Albion left-back Marc Cucurella, who on Friday was said to have handed in a transfer request in an attempt to push through a move, with the Seagulls reportedly holding out for a £50million fee.

Guardiola refused to comment further, though he did note it was an area of the pitch City would like to strengthen if possible.

Aymeric Laporte, meanwhile, is likely to be out until at least September after having knee surgery, Guardiola confirmed.

Arsenal's Edu-led evolution is set to come to a head in the 2022-23 season, with the technical director stating publicly this week that a top-four finish is the target.

Inconsistency throughout last season, culminating in a poor run of form at the end of the campaign, saw Arsenal's absence from the Champions League extend to five years.

With Mikel Arteta at the helm and Edu leading the recruitment, the Gunners now believe this is their time and, with the Brazilian's comments in pre-season about this being the season for success in the long-term plan, the pressure is on.

Arsenal have brought in the likes of Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale in recent times, while they have also cemented the futures of young players like Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe.

One major piece of the puzzle was missing last season, however, with no striker to take the mantle of leading the line until Nketiah's purple patch – but the London club are hoping that will change with the capture of Gabriel Jesus.

Signed following a trophy-laden spell at Manchester City, the fact that Arsenal managed to land Jesus, in a World Cup year no less, is a feather in Edu's cap, but the real question is, can he end Arsenal's number nine curse?

Staggeringly, no number nine has hit 15 goals for the club in a Premier League season since the 1998-99 campaign, when Nicolas Anelka found the back of the net 17 times.

Since then, Davor Sukor, Francis Jeffers, Jose Antonio Reyes, Julio Baptista, Eduardo, Park Chu Young, Lukas Podolski and Lucas Perez have all graced the number nine shirt with varying, but largely disappointing, returns.

Alexandre Lacazette came closest with a 14-goal haul in his first Premier League season but, with just four top-flight goals last year, it was clear the Gunners needed a significant upgrade on the Frenchman.

Jesus has also fallen short of the 15-goal mark in his Premier League career, with a season-high of 14 in the 2019-20 campaign – though it is worth mentioning his City career has seen him be a member of the supporting cast, rather than the leading man.

He will be first choice through the middle at Arsenal and his numbers are encouraging compared to those who have recently had that role.

In Lacazette, Arsenal had a forward who scored 78 Premier League goals at a rate of 0.5 per 90 minutes, totalling just over 14,000 minutes in the competition– a record that Jesus easily beats.

Jesus has scored 95 Premier League goals at a rate of 0.6 per 90 minutes, playing just over 100 minutes more than the Frenchman – and his return is comparable to what Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang achieved during his stint at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal's former captain outscored both with 104 career Premier League goals, a rate of 0.65 per 90 minutes, but he played over 300 minutes more than Jesus did for City.

Again, his role for City was different, playing alongside the likes of Sergio Aguero and, when his fellow South American departed, Pep Guardiola elected to mainly utilise him in a wider area – limiting his opportunities in front of goal.

Through the middle, Jesus' task will be to improve the return in the final third where, during the 2021-22 season, Arsenal netted 39 goals in open play compared to an xG of 48.2.

A number of missed opportunities were high xG chances that, over the course of the season, could have made a significant difference in the battle for Champions League football.

What Arsenal lacked in a recognised striker, however, they made up for in other areas, with a further 21 goals over the course of the season coming from set-pieces.

Other areas where Arsenal shone included the goals they scored on the counter-attack, netting a joint league-high of six, which Jesus should be able to improve. Arsenal also hit the woodwork on 18 occasions, so they will be looking for the Brazilian to make them more clinical.

Pre-season has also been encouraging for the early part of Jesus' career in the capital, scoring four goals in as many games – including a well-taken chipped finish in the 4-0 Florida Cup drubbing of London rivals Chelsea.

Jesus should get support from Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, who both hit double figures for goals last season, while Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Nketiah and Gabriel Magalhaes all scored at least five.

That ought to also help Jesus' assists return, with the 25-year-old providing 29 during his time at City – including eight last season, enough to be joint-top of the Premier League champions' assist charts alongside Kevin de Bruyne.

According to the numbers, Jesus is more than capable of being the man Arsenal have needed ever since Aubameyang's fall from grace – but he cannot do it alone and the Gunners need to be firing on all cylinders.

Edu is delighted that Arsenal managed to sign first-choice transfer targets Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko despite missing out on Champions League football last term.

However, the club's technical director also revealed Raphinha was never close to moving to the Emirates Stadium, with the now-Barcelona winger having always prioritised a move to Camp Nou.

Arsenal have been active in the transfer market after a late-season collapse saw rivals Tottenham secure a top-four Premier League finish at their expense in May, outspending every other side in the top flight do far.

Alongside former Manchester City duo Jesus and Zinchenko, Mikel Arteta's side have recruited Porto's Fabio Vieira, New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner, and young Sao Paulo winger Marquinhos, and Edu revealed Arsenal's lack of Champions League football has not been too inhibitive in securing their foremost targets. 

"[We signed] almost 100 per cent of them," he told Sky Sports. "I understand sometimes players want to play Champions League football, but I think we can offer something very special for the players as well.

"It's not only Champions League, but you can be part of a group of players which can achieve something very special for this football club. And then I always ask them if they want to be part of the project we've been building.

"I'm sure we will do something very special for this football club and then when I explain to the players, they really understand [it] and that's why they're here."

Zinchenko made just 10 Premier League starts for City last season, playing a total of 1,044 minutes in the competition, but Edu is delighted with the signing of the Ukraine star after targeting him for six months.

"We are so excited to have Zinchenko with us here because he's a player that we really targeted," he added.

"It's a player that we really believe has the characteristics and the qualities that are going to increase our level in the squad for sure. [The transfer] was planned like six months ago, to feed that position in the best way possible in the way which Mikel really wants to play.

"Mikel of course knows him more than anyone because they worked together [at City] but all the information around the player is top."

Edu also revealed the signing of Jesus was the culmination of another drawn-out process, adding: "I think we as a club have to be proud to have a player like Gabriel Jesus here.

"This process really, I think, takes like seven months in terms of understanding each other and talking to each other, because also he had a lot of other opportunities and then he chooses because he understands who we are."

Raphinha was another player linked with Arsenal after scoring 11 goals in 35 Premier League appearances for Leeds United last season.

However, he made a big-money move to Barcelona earlier this month, and while Arsenal did speak to the winger's agent Deco, Edu revealed his heart was set on a move to Camp Nou.

"People think we went in too deep about Raphinha, because Raphinha was everywhere," Edu said. "It's fair, we did have some conversations with Deco because Deco is his agent and I have a good relationship [with him] - we are friends.

"I just said to Deco, 'can you explain to me the situation with Raphinha?' and he was clear, 'Edu, we have a good relationship but I'm not going to lie to you, his idea is to go to Barcelona because he's dreaming to go to Barcelona, and we've been talking to Barcelona since a long time ago'.

"[I said] 'okay, thank you very much, if something happens then just let me know because I can explore and understand the situation'. If not, no problem and we carry on with our relationship."

Gabriel Jesus has revealed he was persuaded to join Arsenal after Edu and Mikel Arteta 'surprised' him with data on his career and how he can improve his game.

The Brazilian forward joins the north London side after five trophy-laden years at Manchester City, where he worked with Arteta during his spell as assistant manager to Pep Guardiola.

Jesus' arrival comes amid a period of transition within Arsenal's attack, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joining Barcelona in January and Alexandre Lacazette returning to Lyon on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract.

Arsenal's capture of Jesus is a major statement of intent and comes in a recruitment drive that has seen the Gunners splash over £100 million for the second season in a row, with Oleksandr Zinchenko the latest arrival having also swapped City for Arsenal.

Giving up Champions League football to join Arsenal, the decision to move came in a crucial period for Jesus ahead of the World Cup later this year and Jesus has admitted he was 'surprised' by what was presented to him.

Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah believes he will be able to form a threatening strike partnership with Gabriel Jesus, who arrived from Manchester City in the off-season.

Nketiah finished the Premier League season in solid form last term, scoring five times in the Gunners' final seven games amid speculation over his future at the club.

With his contract expiring at the end of the season, the 23-year-old renewed with the North London club, while Gabriel Jesus joined on a reported £45million transfer from the eventual Premier League champions.

Despite the potential of both fighting for the same spot, Nketiah feels Mikel Arteta could potentially get the best out of them together on the pitch, as witnessed in Wednesday's 3-1 pre-season win over Orlando City.

"I think we can play together, and I think we’ve shown that," he said. "Obviously, he’s a great player and it’s nice to play with him.

"Naturally with the kind of strikers we are, we’ve been able to combine quickly. It’s also good that we have a common celebration. I’m enjoying playing with him and hopefully we can continue to link up.

"Obviously, I like to play in the middle but I can play on the left as well and enjoy that. I’m just happy to be on the pitch in areas where I know I can be a threat and be dangerous. When 'Gabby' came on in the second half it was good to link up with him."

Jesus is the highest-profile signing for Arsenal in what has been a busy transfer window, with Fabio Vieira and Marquinhos also joining, and Oleksandr Zinchenko's signing reportedly imminent.

With the arrivals in mind, the England youth international added Arsenal was ultimately the best place for him to progress his career, despite interest from elsewhere.

"I wanted to wait until the end of the season and of course I had a lot of offers," Nketiah said. "I sat down with my team and with the manager and my family and we felt like Arsenal was the best place.

"When you get down to that stage of your contract you’re obviously going to have options and I sat down with my agent and family to go through them all.

"But Arsenal is a great club for me. I support the club and it’s a great project to be part of. I hope I can contribute to that in the future."

New Arsenal signing Gabriel Jesus does not want to be the "main man" at the Emirates Stadium.

The Brazil international joined the Gunners from Manchester City earlier this month for a reported fee of around £45million and made a positive start at his new club, scoring three times in his first two appearances in pre-season.

Despite many believing the player's desire to leave the Premier League champions was to take on a higher profile role at another club, Jesus has told reporters he does not want to be a "superstar", insisting he just wants to enjoy playing football.

Speaking to reporters during Arsenal's pre-season tour of the United States, Jesus said: "I don't want to be the main man, I don't want to be a superstar. I don't want to do these things. I want to play football, this game. So why not play football, enjoy football, what I love to do, you know? 

"I've come to help and to learn with the guys. There are amazing players here as well. So I've come to join a club where everyone's going to win together."

When asked why he chose to sign for Arsenal, the 25-year-old said: "First of all, it was when Edu [technical director] came to talk to me and asked me how I am, how I feel as a person, and then after as a football player on what I want in the future.

"So yeah, I think the conversation between me and Edu was amazing, because I was so happy with the project of the club. I was so happy to be at the club. And then I straight away said 'yes, I think my way is in London.'"

Jesus spent six years at Man City, scoring 95 goals in 234 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side in all competitions.

Since he signed for City, excluding penalties and of players who have played 5,000+ minutes in this period, only Sergio Aguero (0.91) and Mohamed Salah (0.88) have a better goal involvement per 90 minutes in the Premier League than Jesus (0.81).

However, with the added competition of new arrivals Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez at the Etihad Stadium, Jesus has moved south in search of more regular game time, but said his final conversation with Guardiola was a positive one.

"It was a good conversation between me and [Guardiola], it was really good," he said. "You know, I respect that because we have an amazing relationship because he called me when I was young in Brazil. And then I accepted and came to work with him.

"He’s one of the greatest managers of all-time, and yeah, I have a good relationship with him."

His new manager, Mikel Arteta, worked with him during the Spaniard's time as part of Guardiola's backroom staff prior to being hired by Arsenal, and Arteta spoke of the "special energy" Jesus has brought already.

"He's [always] with a smile on his face," he told reporters. "He feels important, he's bringing a special energy to the group.

"Obviously a big experience, because of the way he's been managed, handled and the expectation he had to fulfil at City, and he's doing it naturally like he is."

Gabriel Jesus can help Arsenal discover a "winning mentality" after joining from Premier League champions Manchester City, according to his new Gunners team-mate Emile Smith Rowe.

Brazil striker Jesus left Pep Guardiola's team for Arsenal in a deal worth around £45million after starting just 28 games in all competitions last season, scoring 13 goals.

Only Riyad Mahrez (24), Kevin De Bruyne (19), Raheem Sterling (17) and Phil Foden (14) outscored Jesus for City last term despite his limited playing time, as Guardiola's men successfully defended their title by a single point ahead of Liverpool.

Meanwhile, only Lionel Messi (291), Sterling (186), De Bruyne (175) and Sergio Aguero (151) can better Jesus' tally of 136 goal contributions under Guardiola's management, with the forward winning 10 pieces of silverware in his time with City.

Despite Jesus only turning 25 in April, Smith Rowe believes his experience of featuring for an elite side will benefit the Gunners.

"He's been fantastic since he came in, it feels like he's been here for a couple of years," he told the Evening Standard. 

"Everyone knows how good he is, and we can't wait to get started with him. Man City are a big club and they've won a lot recently. 

"It would be good if he could bring that [winning] mentality and help us out."

Jesus netted in Arsenal's friendly win over Everton last time out, taking him to three goals in two pre-season appearances for his new side.

But the 25-year-old is not the only signing made by Mikel Arteta during the transfer window, with Porto's 22-year-old midfielder Fabio Vieira joining for an initial fee of £30million (€35m).

And Smith Rowe was keen to emphasise Vieira's similarity to another Portuguese midfielder, namely City's Bernardo Silva, as he hailed his creative talents.

"He's very similar [to Silva]," Smith Rowe said of Vieira. "He's a very good passer of the ball, his left foot is very good, and he likes to create goals and score them himself.

"I've already played against him at international level, so I can't speak highly enough of him, and the fans should be really excited. At the Euro Under-21s, they [Portugal] beat us 2-0 and he was unbelievable in that game."

Arsenal will feature in the Europa League after a late-season collapse saw rivals Tottenham beat them to a top-four Premier League finish last time out, and Smith Rowe says the Gunners are desperate to atone for that disappointment in the 2022-23 campaign.

"It's definitely tough looking back on it, it was in our hands. The Spurs game [a 3-0 defeat in May]… it was tough. It wasn't a nice atmosphere. All the boys were down," he recalled.

"The manager picked us up and we had another chance after that, but it didn't go our way in the end. 

"Going forward, we have just got to stick together as a team. We are a young team, we are still getting there. It's fuel for us going forward and we can't wait to start the season.

"It will be a good season, a tough season. The big clubs are buying players and every season is hard, but we are confident. 

"It's been a long time since we've been in the Champions League. We need to get back in it, not just for us but for the fans as well."

Mikel Arteta hailed Gabriel Jesus's "chaotic" nature after the forward continued his impressive start for new side Arsenal in Saturday's pre-season win over Everton.

The Brazil international, recently signed from Manchester City in a reported £45million deal, made it three goals in two outings as Arsenal ran out 2-0 winners in Baltimore.

Jesus, who scored his first two goals for Arsenal in last week's 5-3 win over Nurnberg, also assisted Bukayo Saka for the Gunners' second goal against Everton.

Arteta has been impressed by the 25-year-old's instant impact and in particular his ability to disrupt opposition defences.

"He creates chaos, he creates uncertainty and he's always on your shoulder," Arteta said. 

"He's always there to nick the ball off you, he's always in front of the goal. He's a real threat and this is what we need.

"The moment we give the ball away he is straight away active and putting pressure and getting his team behind him. 

"He has a lot of leadership skills. I can see straight away what he's doing with the boys and he's the type of guy that we want.

"He looks really sharp, really dynamic. He's got a really good understanding with his team-mates straight away. 

"They are looking for him, he's generating chances, good connections around specific spaces we want to exploit with him especially, and yeah, we're really happy."

Excluding penalties, former Palmeiras ace Jesus averaged 0.81 goal involvements per 90 minutes between signing for City in 2016 and his departure this month.

Of players to have played at least 5,000 minutes over that period, only former City colleague Sergio Aguero (0.91) and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (0.88) boast a better return.

Jesus was often used in a wide position at City, but Arteta has so far used the versatile forward through the middle.

"He's very versatile, but obviously, the way we would like to develop him is in that position," Arteta said when asked if he sees Jesus as a number nine.

"In relation to what the opponent does in certain games, we are going to have to use him in different positions. He's open to that and he knows it's part of his strength as well."

William Saliba was given his first run-out of the close season against Everton, the centre-back featuring for 71 minutes before being replaced by Pablo Mari.

He completed more passes (53) than any other player on the field and Arteta confirmed the 21-year-old – who has spent three seasons out on loan – is part of his plans.

"He is in the plans, yes," Arteta said. "We cannot guarantee first-team football to anybody in this team – you can ask that question to anybody.

"What we guarantee is that the ones we really see and think are going to take us to the next level, they're going to be playing a lot of minutes.

"He's a proper talent and he's shown in the last year what he can do. But in football it's about what you do the next day.

"What everybody did three months ago or a month ago, it doesn't really matter. It's about what you do tomorrow and he's going to have the chance to play."

Gabriel Jesus will bring a winning mentality to Arsenal following his arrival from Manchester City, according to new team-mate Granit Xhaka.

The Brazil striker officially joined Arsenal from fellow Premier League side City last week in a deal worth around £45million.

He scored 95 goals in 234 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side in all competitions and won eight major trophies, including four Premier League titles.

Arsenal have also added Matt Turner, Marquinhos and Fabio Vieira to their squad, and Xhaka expects the new arrivals' attitude to rub off on others in the Gunners' ranks.

"The new signings bring something more than only games and wins; they bring the mentality of winning something and that is what we need here," he told Sky Sports. 

"It's not so easy just to speak, but you have to show it on the pitch as well.

“They bring experience and of course Gabby knows the Premier League. He has already won everything, but the most important thing is to bring players that have hunger.

"You can win a lot of trophies and say 'okay, it's enough', but these guys they want to win much more with us. This is what makes us happy to have them."

Jesus took just 90 seconds to score on his first appearance for Arsenal in last week's pre-season friendly victory over Nurnberg.

Excluding penalties, the former Palmeiras ace has averaged 0.81 goals per 90 minutes since arriving at City six years ago.

Of players to have played at least 5,000 minutes over that period, only former City colleague Sergio Aguero (0.91) and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (0.88) boast a better return.

With Jesus set to lead their line in the 2022-23 season, Arsenal will be expected to challenge for a Champions League spot, having finished just outside the top four last time out.

The Gunners have gone back-to-back seasons without any silverware, and six campaigns without a top-four finish, which is something Xhaka is eager to put an end to.

"I would prefer to win the Europa League to get back into the Champions League if I'm honest because it's a trophy," he said.

"But if we can get in the top four in the Premier League and win the Europa League, that would be more special."

Per Mertesacker believes the signing of Gabriel Jesus is a statement of intent from Arsenal as the Gunners aim to return to the Champions League.

Jesus signed for Arsenal earlier in July, joining from Premier League champions Manchester City in a deal reportedly worth £45million.

With Erling Haaland's arrival at City, Jesus was deemed surplus to requirements and will instead lead the Gunners' attacking line as Mikel Arteta's team look to improve on last season's fifth-place finish.

Jesus has not been the only new arrival, with midfielder Fabio Vieira, winger Marquinhos and goalkeeper Matt Turner also joining.

Mertesacker, who manages Arsenal's academy, believes the club's transfer business has shown how determined they are to qualify for Europe's elite club competition.

He spoke to Sky Sports about the deal for Jesus, who scored twice in a 5-3 friendly win over Nurnberg on Friday.

"The way that we could convince him to come fairly early in the transfer window, not waiting too long, I think that we are proactive," Mertesacker said. "We are making our points clear to the players’ families and agents. We have got the right arguments and players are willing to come to us and bring us back to the Champions League and where we belong."

Two players returning to Arsenal's squad after spending parts of last season out on loan are Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Nelson helped Feyenoord reach the final of the Europa Conference League, where they lost to Roma, the Italian club where Maitland-Niles spent the back half of the campaign.

"To see them in the leagues of Europe, they went to Holland and Italy. Fantastic experience for them, hopefully they'll benefit from it," said Mertesacker of the returning loanees.

"Whether that's here with us or whether they need to go somewhere else, that's obviously the decision of [technical director] Edu and Mikel."

Gabriel Jesus has thanked everyone associated with Manchester City and says "it is time to live a new dream" after completing his move to Arsenal.

The Brazil international spent five-and-a-half years at the Etihad Stadium and scored 95 goals in 234 appearances for City in all competitions.

However, following the arrivals of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, Jesus has opted to depart the club in a deal worth a reported £45million.

Arsenal confirmed the signing of Jesus on a long-term deal on Monday, and the 25-year-old took to Twitter to pay his respects to City.

"Thanks Man City and all the people who made this club my life for all these years," he said. "Time to live a new dream!"

Jesus becomes Arsenal's fourth signing of the window following the arrivals of Matt Turner, Marquinhos and Fabio Vieira.

He had a strong end to the 2021-22 campaign as City went on to retain the Premier League title – one of 11 trophies won during an illustrious spell in Manchester.

And the Palmeiras academy product feels he is departing City as a better player than the one who arrived as a teenager in 2017.

"It's been a pleasure to play for Manchester City," he told the club's official website. "I feel like I am a better player now than when I arrived.

"To win 11 trophies has been amazing. My four Premier League titles are particularly special for me.

"I want to thank everyone at City – the manager, my team-mates and the fans – for all the support they have given me over the past five-and-a-half years."

Jesus, who will wear the number nine shirt at Emirates Stadium, was thanked by City director of football Txiki Begiristain for his services to the club.

"Gabriel is a fantastic professional and I want to thank him for what he has given Manchester City since he came here in 2017," Begiristain said.

"His hard work and dedication to this club cannot be questioned. He has been a brilliant servant and I have no doubt he will continue to be a success."

Arsenal have completed the signing of Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City, the Gunners have confirmed.

The Brazil striker has signed a long-term deal at Emirates Stadium, with reports suggesting the deal is worth around £45million.

Jesus becomes the fourth player to arrive at Arsenal in this transfer window after Matt Turner, Marquinhos and Fabio Vieira.

Arsenal confirmed the signing on their official website on Monday and manager Mikel Arteta said: "I'm very excited.

"The club has done a tremendous job to recruit a player of this stature.

"I know Gabriel personally very well, and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and being really successful here.

"This is a position that's been on our radar for a long time now and we have managed to get a player that we all wanted, so I'm really happy."

Jesus joined City from Palmeiras in 2016 and scored 95 goals in 234 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side in all competitions.

The 25-year-old also had a strong end to the 2021-22 campaign, scoring four times in City's 5-1 win against Watford in April as they went on to retain the Premier League title.

However, with the added competition of new arrivals Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez at the Etihad Stadium, Jesus has moved to Arsenal in search of more regular game time.

Since he signed for City, excluding penalties and of players who have played 5,000+ minutes in this period, only Sergio Aguero (0.91) and Mohamed Salah (0.88) have a better goal involvement per 90 minutes in the Premier League than Jesus (0.81).

Gabriel Jesus could be set for a move to Arsenal after the club came to a £45million agreement with Manchester City to pry away the 25-year-old striker, according to reports.

It had previously been claimed the Gunners were offering £30m – well short of City's £50m asking price – but were given some added motivation when Tottenham apparently entered the race.

The Brazil international ended the season in fine form at City, scoring four times in the 5-1 win against Watford in April, but could he be on his way to the Emirates Stadium?

TOP STORY – ARSENAL RAISE OFFER AND AGREE TO JESUS FEE

According to The Athletic, Gabriel Jesus is on the verge of a big money move to Arsenal.

The striker's relationship with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta dates back to the Spaniard's days as assistant coach to Pep Guardiola at City, giving him a unique insight into Jesus' progression since arriving in the Premier League.

The Athletic's report includes that the arrivals of both Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez to City in this transfer period would have significantly hindered Jesus' playing time if he were to stay.

ROUND-UP

– Sky Sports report that Chelsea have offered Timo Werner to Juventus as part of negotiations for Dutch centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, with the Blues unwilling to meet his release clause, said to be set at €120m.

– Christian Eriksen is deciding between staying at Brentford or accepting a larger contract offer to move to Manchester United, with Sky Sports reporting he may be unwilling to move from the Bees for family reasons.

– Everton, Wolves and West Ham are keeping a close eye on former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum as the 31-year-old has been told he can leave Paris Saint-Germain this transfer period, according to 90min.

– Spanish publication Sport say Leeds United winger Raphinha has shunned other Premier League clubs in an effort to push his way to Barcelona.