Barcelona has finalized the signing of Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal on a permanent transfer. The deal is reportedly valued at £8.6 million (10 million euros), following earlier reports of the transfer being close to confirmation.
Jesus has seen his playing time at Arsenal diminish in recent seasons, affected by injuries and the emergence of Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres as preferred central strikers. Napoli had also expressed interest in the player, but Jesus completed his medical on Monday and has now joined Barcelona, the reigning Spanish league champions.
Jesus joined Arsenal in 2022 from Manchester City, accumulating 32 goals and 22 assists across 123 appearances for the Gunners. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had previously indicated Jesus's unavailability for training with the squad, stating that "Personal situations, whatever they are, I think it's clear" when questioned about the forward's potential departure.
This move marks Barcelona's third acquisition from a Premier League club this summer, following the arrivals of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle and Rodri from Manchester City. Barcelona has also been pursuing Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, but Atletico has stated its unwillingness to negotiate with its La Liga rivals. Arsenal has also shown interest in Alvarez, though a deal is considered unlikely at this stage.