Spanish champions Barca pursued Alvarez through the summer but Atletico refused to negotiate with the Catalan giants. Barcelona signed Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal on Tuesday on a deal until 2029, after they were unable to pry Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid.
“Barcelona and Arsenal have reached a deal for the Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus,” said the Catalan club in a statement, with Spanish media reporting that they paid the Gunners around 10 million euros ($11.5m).
Jesus arrives to bolster an attack weakened by the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres earlier this summer.
Barcelona also confirmed a late loan deal for midfielder Marc Casado, who joins Deportivo La Coruna until the end of the season. Barcelona were prepared to end the transfer window without adding another number nine, with winger Raphinha scoring five goals in three games playing through the middle, but ultimately opted to bring in Jesus. He scored 32 goals at Arsenal in four seasons, after bagging 95 at Manchester City in the six years before that.
“I’m not offended,” said Jesus, when asked how he felt to be Barca’s plan B after Alvarez. “I was a little surprised we had the opportunity to get him,” Hansi Flick told reporters Monday after Barca thrashed Rayo Vallecano 5-2 in La Liga, which Jesus watched from the stands at Camp Nou.
