Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus heads to Barcelona on two-year contract

Barcelona have reached an agreement to sign Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus in a deal worth €10m (£8.6m) plus add-ons, with the Brazil international due to undergo a medical on Monday.

Jesus has been authorised by Arsenal to travel for the examination before completing his permanent move to the Catalan club. He is expected to sign a two-year contract with Barcelona, with an option to extend the agreement by a further year until 2029.

The transfer follows Barcelona’s difficulty in pursuing Atletico de Madrid striker Julian Alvarez at this stage. The Spanish club had identified Alvarez as a target but Atletico have rejected the possibility of allowing the Argentina international to leave during the current period.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona turned to Jesus as an alternative to strengthen their central striking position. His arrival is intended to help fill the attacking vacancy left by the departure of Poland forward Robert Lewandowski.

Jesus’ contract at Arsenal is due to run until 2027, but his restricted role at the current Premier League champions has encouraged him to seek a move. Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres have been ahead of him in the competition for a place in the Gunners’ attack.

The 28-year-old has long regarded Barcelona as a dream destination. His ambition to play for the club dates back to his time at Palmeiras, before he moved to the Premier League in 2016. He has now pushed for an agreement that will allow him to wear Barcelona’s colours.

Barcelona have also reviewed Jesus’ medical history. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in January 2025, but has made a full recovery from the injury.

His scoring record has also helped persuade Barcelona to pursue the deal. Jesus scored 95 goals in 236 appearances for Manchester City between 2016 and 2022, playing under Pep Guardiola. Since joining Arsenal in 2022, he has added 33 goals in 123 matches, with those figures running through 2026.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported on X that Barcelona had “reached an agreement to sign Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal” and that “the deal is done”.

Romano added: “The medical has been booked for tomorrow, Monday, and Arsenal will receive a €10m package plus add-ons for the permanent transfer.”

He also said: “Gabriel Jesus will travel for the medical after receiving permission from Arsenal.”

In a further update, Romano wrote: “Gabriel Jesus will sign a two-year contract at Barcelona. The agreement also includes an option to extend for an extra year, until 2029.”

The move for Jesus does not end Barcelona’s interest in Alvarez. The club continue to monitor the Atletico de Madrid striker and could revive their pursuit during a future transfer window.