Bojan Krkic Sr on Gabriel Jesus: A Forward Built for Modern Attacks

Bojan Krkic Sr has lifted the lid on just how highly he rates Gabriel Jesus, recalling the lengths he went to in order to track the Brazilian long before his move to Arsenal.

“I bet a lot on him. The reports were very good,” he told Sport, explaining that he personally scouted Jesus twice during the forward’s time at Manchester City, at a moment when talk of a departure first began to surface.

“I went to see him twice when he was at City and there was talk that he could leave, before he left for Arsenal. And it wasn’t just me.”

What he saw convinced him quickly. For Krkic, Jesus is not simply another No 9. He is a forward built for modern, fluid attacks.

“He’s a very good player technically. He guides with both legs, drives the ball well and reacts very quickly in tight spaces,” he said, underlining the technical base that sets Jesus apart.

Krkic highlighted the Brazilian’s movement as the key to unlocking a coach’s attacking structure, picking out the traits that fit perfectly with Hansi Flick’s positional interchanges.

“Gabriel Jesus is not a static centre-forward, he can appear in all areas of the area and also drop to the wing. And that is precisely what Hansi wants: that they constantly exchange positions,” he explained.

“The good thing about him is that he is very hardworking. He is a team player and works a lot on the first press. When he has to go to press, he really gets involved.”

For Krkic, Jesus is the kind of forward who scrambles defensive lines and knits together attacks, as valuable without the ball as he is with it.

“He has a lot of mobility, he messes up the defense, he offers passing lines, he presses and he associates. Gabriel perhaps gives you even more in that associative game,” he added, pointing to the Brazilian’s ability to combine and create angles for teammates.

All of that, in Krkic’s eyes, feeds into a rare chance for club and player to align perfectly.

“It’s a golden opportunity. He has a mentality, he is aggressive when he plays, he has a change of pace and quality to finish. He can be a great success for the club.”

For a coach demanding intensity, rotation of positions and relentless pressing from the front, Gabriel Jesus is not just an option. He is the prototype.