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Barcelona executive explains why Gabriel Jesus could be perfect for Hansi Flick: ‘The great thing about him is…’
Gabriel Jesus is closing in on becoming a Barcelona player , but the Brazilian striker will not arrive at Camp Nou to be judged by how many goals he scores.
The Arsenal forward is expected to arrive in Barcelona today before completing the formalities of his move, with the transfer set to be made official before the window closes.
And while his recent injury problems have changed his circumstances considerably, Bojan Krkic believes the club is still signing a player whose qualities can fit Hansi Flick’s football extremely well.
Bojan, Barcelona’s Football coordinator, knows Jesus better than most at Barcelona.
During his decade working in the club’s scouting department, he personally watched the Brazilian at Manchester City and produced reports on him before Jesus eventually moved to Arsenal.
“I was a big believer in him. The reports were very positive. I went to watch him twice when he was at City, and there was talk that he might leave, before he moved to Arsenal. And I wasn’t the only one,” he recalls.
Why Bojan believes Gabriel Jesus fits Flick’s system
For Krkic, the most attractive aspect of Jesus’ game is not necessarily his finishing. It is what the Brazilian can do before the final touch.
“He’s a very technically gifted player. He’s comfortable with both feet, controls the ball well and reacts very quickly in tight spaces,” he explains.
That ability becomes particularly valuable in an attack built around movement.
Gabriel Jesus is Barcelona’s latest signing. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Jesus is not a traditional centre-forward who remains between the central defenders waiting for service.
“Gabriel Jesus isn’t a static centre-forward; he can pop up in all areas of the box and also drift out wide.
“And that’s exactly what Hansi wants: for them to constantly swap positions,” he points out.
Krkic envisages a highly mobile Barcelona attack involving Raphinha, Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi and Jesus, with Lamine Yamal retaining a more familiar role on the right.
“The great thing about him is that he’s a real hard worker. He’s a team player and works incredibly hard on applying that initial pressure.
“When he has to go and press, he really gets stuck in,” he explains.
Gabriel Jesus offers more than goals
There is a temptation to judge any new Barcelona striker primarily through his scoring record. Krkic, though, believes that would miss the point of what Jesus can offer.
“He’s more of a link-up player than a goalscorer. His statistics have never been those of a great goalscorer, but he provides link-up play down to the last centimetre,” he explains.
Jesus’ value, in this assessment, comes from his ability to receive the ball under pressure and make decisions almost instantly.
Bojan Krkic has nothing but praise for Gabriel Jesus. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
He can lay the ball off, turn away from his marker, play a first-time pass or move to create space for another attacker.
“He drops deep, moves around, throws the opposition defence off balance and has the ability to think and act very quickly. His greatest quality is his link-up play,” he insists.
Fitness is the question Barcelona must answer
The biggest uncertainty surrounding Jesus is physical rather than technical.
The Brazilian has suffered a serious knee injury and has struggled to build the competitive rhythm he once enjoyed.
Barcelona will therefore need to manage his return carefully rather than immediately expecting the player who made such a strong impression at Manchester City.
“It’s him who’s putting himself on the line, not so much Barça,” states Bojan.
“It’s a golden opportunity. He’s got the right mindset, he’s aggressive when he plays, he’s got a change of pace and the quality to finish, ” he says.
“He could turn out to be a great signing for the club,” he concludes.
Source: SPORT
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