By Benson Daniel
Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus is set to complete his move from Arsenal to Barcelona after the two clubs reached an agreement for his transfer.
The 29 year old arrived in Barcelona on Monday ahead of his medical examination and contract signing, with the deal expected to keep him at the Spanish club until June 2028, with an option to extend for another season.
Jesus expressed his excitement after arriving in Spain and is expected to become the latest addition to Barcelona’s attacking options as the club continues to reshape its squad.
The agreement is understood to involve an initial transfer fee of around €10 million, with additional performance related payments potentially taking the overall package higher. Barcelona have also secured an option for an extra year on the Brazilian’s contract.
The move brings an end to Jesus’ four year spell at Arsenal, where he joined from Manchester City in 2022. He made 123 competitive appearances for the Gunners, scoring 32 goals and providing 22 assists during his time at the club.
His Arsenal career was affected by injuries, including a serious knee injury that disrupted his progress and limited his consistency. He subsequently found himself facing increased competition for attacking positions as Arsenal strengthened their forward line.
Barcelona turned to Jesus after failing to secure their preferred target, Julián Álvarez, from Atlético Madrid. The Catalan club had been searching for additional attacking firepower following the departure of Robert Lewandowski and other changes to their forward line.
Jesus brings considerable experience from both the Premier League and international football. Before joining Arsenal, he spent five seasons at Manchester City, where he won multiple Premier League titles and other major domestic trophies under manager Pep Guardiola.
His versatility is also expected to appeal to Barcelona, with the Brazilian capable of operating as a central striker or from wider attacking positions.
For Jesus, the transfer represents an opportunity to restart his career at one of Europe’s biggest clubs and rediscover the form that made him one of Brazil’s most highly rated forwards during his early years at Manchester City.
The Brazilian forward has reportedly been enthusiastic about the move and sees Barcelona as an important opportunity at this stage of his career.
Barcelona will hope Jesus can provide additional goals, experience and attacking flexibility as they prepare for a demanding domestic and European campaign.
The formal announcement of the transfer is expected after the completion of the necessary procedures and signing of the contract.
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