Arsenal player happily agrees to join Barcelona in surprise transfer after offer is accepted
Barcelona has just surprised everyone by agreeing to sign a player from Arsenal with only a few days left in the transfer window.
After winning the Premier League a few months ago, Mikel Arteta has been busy strengthening his team with strong players and letting go of those who don’t fit his plans.
Most of Arsenal’s recent transfer moves have been focused on their attacking line. Kai Havertz seems to have locked in the main striker spot, with Bukayo Saka playing on the right and new signing Christos Tzolis on the left.
This reshuffle has already led to Leandro Trossard moving to Beşiktaş, while the futures of Gabriel Martinelli, Reiss Nelson, Ethan Nwaneri, and Viktor Gyökeres have been uncertain.
Gyökeres, in particular, has caught the eye of top European clubs like Barcelona, especially since his £63.5 million transfer hasn’t gone as well as hoped.
Even though talks with Atletico Madrid about Julian Alvarez are still happening, Gyökeres looks set to stay because Barcelona’s focus has shifted to another Arsenal forward.
Gabriel Jesus, who has made 84 appearances and scored 21 goals for Arsenal since 2022, is reportedly on his way to Barcelona.
Often overlooked at Arsenal, the Brazilian striker hasn’t been part of Arteta’s plans for the 2026/27 season after dealing with injuries over the past two years.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Jesus will join Barcelona for €10 million (£8.5 million) plus extra fees. A medical is scheduled for Monday, and Jesus quickly agreed to the move, signing a deal that could keep him at the club until 2029.
Romano shared, “The surprise deal is done—the verbal agreement with Arsenal and the Brazilian striker is finalized. Barcelona chose Jesus because the Julian Alvarez deal faced issues.”
Jesus scored six goals in 27 appearances last season, which was a bit inconsistent, but Barcelona sees him as the key piece missing from their attack.
This ends a tough summer for Barcelona, who have been searching for a Robert Lewandowski replacement and even tried out new signing Anthony Gordon as a striker.
For Arsenal, this transfer gives them hope that the competition for Alvarez is narrowing down to just one club if the Argentine striker decides to leave. It might also help fund a surprising move for Marcus Rashford.