Former Arsenal midfielder Jorginho explained that he decided to leave the club because he no longer felt able to enjoy his football under Mikel Arteta.

The former Italy international has reflected on his spell at the Emirates, where he spent two-and-a-half seasons after arriving from Premier League rivals Chelsea in 2023.

Now playing for Brazilian outfit Flamengo, Jorginho featured 79 times for Arsenal, starting 46 of those matches, and helped the Gunners secure second place behind Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League in 2024 and 2025.

He departed the north London club on a free transfer at the end of the 2024-25 season and has since enjoyed success with Flamengo, helping them win five trophies, including the 2025 Copa Libertadores.

Speaking to The Times in 2026, Jorginho admitted that it became difficult to “keep motivated” at Arsenal, particularly as his opportunities under Arteta were limited.

Although he insisted that he has no resentment towards the Spanish coach, Jorginho explained that he wanted to feel “important for the team” and have the freedom to “play with joy”.

“I want to feel alive and important for the team. When a player is not on the pitch, it’s hard to keep motivated. I felt I needed to go somewhere where I was going to play with joy.”

Jorginho also shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s much-discussed dependence on set pieces. Although he recognised their value, the former Italy international suggested that an excessive focus on dead-ball situations can detract from the rhythm and beauty of football.

“It does feel like homework, that’s the reality. But when you do your homework and then you have the test, you have a good result.

“I think people are realising now the importance of set pieces… Why is it a problem to focus and work more on it, when you get the results from that which make everybody happy?

“But the thing is, if you focus just on this, and then you forget about the football side, then of course, you’re not going to have beautiful football. So I think it’s all about balance.”

Jorginho’s Outstanding Years at Chelsea

Although his performances at Arsenal came later in his career, Jorginho was widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders in world football during his Chelsea spell.

The Brazil-born midfielder won four major honours with the Blues across four-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge, with the 2020-21 Champions League triumph among the highlights.

Following his key contribution to Italy’s Euro 2020 success, Jorginho claimed third place in the Ballon d’Or standings later that year, finishing behind Lionel Messi, the winner, and Robert Lewandowski.

He played 213 games for Chelsea and scored 29 goals.