Bojan Krkic's High Praise for Gabriel Jesus

Bojan Krkic Sr has revealed just how highly he rates Gabriel Jesus – and how long he has had his eye on the Brazilian forward.

“I bet a lot on him. The reports were very good,” he told Sport, explaining that he personally scouted Jesus during his Manchester City days. “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.”

For Krkic, the attraction was immediate and obvious. Jesus, he says, is a rare blend of technique and intensity.

“He’s a very good player technically. He guides with both legs, drives the ball well and reacts very quickly in tight spaces.”

Krkic highlighted that Jesus is far from a traditional penalty-box striker, underlining why a coach like Hansi Flick would be drawn to him.

“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 said. “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.”

The former Barcelona figure went deeper into what Jesus offers without the ball and between the lines.

“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 knit attacks together rather than simply finish them.

For Krkic, any club moving for Jesus now would be seizing a rare chance.

“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.”

A forward who runs, presses, links and finishes. In Krkic’s eyes, Gabriel Jesus is exactly the kind of modern No 9 top clubs build around, not just buy.