Barcelona had not planned to bring in another striker if their pursuit of Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid fell through, with Atletico making any agreement very difficult.
That stance shifted when Gabriel Jesus unexpectedly became available. He wasn’t part of the original plans, but developments at Arsenal have opened a path for a deal.
Barca have moved to exploit Jesus’ reduced status in Arsenal’s squad, where Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres now appear ahead of him.
With his Arsenal contract running until summer 2027, the club are prepared to consider a sale for a fee rather than risk losing him for nothing next year.
The biggest concern for Barcelona is Jesus’ fitness record. He has endured serious knee issues at Arsenal, including a left ACL injury in January 2025 that sidelined him for 10 months.
This shift does not necessarily end Barcelona’s long-term interest in Alvarez.
After the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, Barcelona wanted a true centre-forward. Jesus offers a different profile to a classic No 9: he can play across the front line and link play, qualities Hansi Flick values.
If the transfer goes through, Flick would gain a seasoned attacker. Jesus made 27 appearances for Arsenal last season, scoring six times, and previously logged 236 games and 95 goals over six seasons with Manchester City.
For Barcelona, it’s a relatively low-cost way to add experience, versatility and Premier League know-how to their attack.