Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus arrived in Barcelona on Monday to finalize a transfer deal worth €10 million ($11.6m) to the reigning Spanish champions.
The 29-year-old is set to undergo a medical examination shortly before inking a two-year contract with the Catalan side.
Premier League champions Arsenal will receive the initial €10 million for Jesus, who had a year remaining on his Emirates contract. Reports suggest an additional €4 million ($4.6 million) may follow, contingent on performance-based bonuses.
Jesus may get his first glimpse of his new teammates on Monday when he is anticipated to attend Barça’s match against Rayo Vallecano at Spotify Camp Nou, as the team aims for a third consecutive win to kick off the new LaLiga season.
A source characterized Barça’s acquisition of Jesus as a “market opportunity,” especially after Atlético Madrid declined to negotiate for Julián Álvarez.
Following the exits of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, Barça currently lacks a recognized striker in their lineup.
Egyptian prospect Hamza Abdelkarim, who is part of the reserve team, was used as the primary striker during preseason, but Raphinha has occupied that role since the LaLiga season commenced.
After failing to secure top target Álvarez, Barça had contemplated skipping the signing of a striker altogether, considering options like Fermín López, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Anthony Gordon, and Karim Adeyemi as potential central forward options.
Nevertheless, a source indicated that coach Hansi Flick favors acquiring a traditional No.9 if feasible, even if that player isn’t guaranteed a starting position.
With Jesus no longer required at Arsenal, he received Flick’s endorsement when this opportunity was presented to him. The source added that Jesus’s arrival will not deter Barça from pursuing Álvarez, even if securing him this summer is not feasible.
Having previously played for Palmeiras and Manchester City, Jesus signed with Arsenal in 2022.
In his inaugural season with the Gunners, he netted 11 goals in 33 matches but has encountered multiple injury issues since then, leading to his reduced role within the team.
Currently, both Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres are favored over him by coach Mikel Arteta, and he has not participated in either of Arsenal’s two competitive matches so far this season.