Gabriel Jesus has made it clear that he is frustrated with his limited playing time this season, having started only five matches, with just one of those in the Premier League. The Arsenal striker has communicated his dissatisfaction to Mikel Arteta, expressing a desire for more opportunities on the field, which he shares with many of his teammates.
So far this season, Jesus has played just 39 minutes in the Premier League over the past month, despite being involved in every League Cup match and starting two games in the Champions League. He was left out of the starting lineup in Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Inter Milan on Wednesday, although he did come on at half-time. This defeat was Arsenal’s second in a row, and the team has struggled to score in half of their last six games.
Jesus’ only contribution this season has been a goal and an assist in the League Cup victory over Preston North End last week. Overall, he has played 480 minutes across all competitions, which is roughly the equivalent of five full matches, out of 16 total fixtures for Arsenal so far.
Despite his frustrations, Jesus has emphasized that he doesn’t intend to cause any unrest within the club. Instead, he plans to focus on working hard in training and seizing any chance to play that comes his way. He remains hopeful that the upcoming match against Chelsea could provide him with more minutes.
In an interview with TNT Sports Brasil after the Inter defeat, Jesus stated: “I think that not just me, but every player wants more minutes. I will never cause problems within the club. I will keep proving my worth in training, and when I get the opportunity to play, I’ll give my best and trust that things will fall into place.”
He continued, “I’ve always said that I want to improve, give my best, and help Arsenal. Clearly, my current situation is not ideal—it’s not how I’d like things to be—but I’m working hard to earn more playing time. That comes from my attitude and my performance in training, and I’ll leave the decision to the coach.”
Jesus remains confident in his ability to make a positive impact for the team but acknowledged the fierce competition for places at Arsenal. “I believe in my own potential. The competition for my position is tough, but I also believe I can contribute a lot,” he said.
This season, other Arsenal players such as Jorginho, Raheem Sterling, Jakub Kiwior, and Oleksandr Zinchenko have seen even less playing time than Jesus, alongside academy players Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly. Additionally, Mikel Merino, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Martin Ødegaard have had their appearances limited due to injuries.