ไทย
English
中國人
Barcelona are reportedly just minor details away from completing the signing of 29-year-old Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus as their long-awaited striker addition of the summer — a considerably less glamorous outcome than the club had originally envisioned.
According to The Athletic, Hansi Flick is supportive of Barça capitalizing on a market opportunity that would bring Jesus to Camp Nou for a fee of approximately $11.6 million (€10 million).
The Brazilian is expected to travel to Barcelona within the next few hours to complete his standard medical examination and sign a two-year deal with an option for an additional season, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Catalans needed to bolster their attacking line following the exits of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, who had been the club's primary striking options during the Flick era. The pair combined for 40 goals in the previous campaign.
Jesus's arrival certainly fills a pressing need, but it falls well short of the marquee signing Barcelona had envisioned when the transfer window opened.
Jesus Signing Is Last Resort After Julián Alvarez Failure
Securing a center forward was Barcelona's top priority of the summer window — but not just any striker, an elite one. Even before the window opened, Julián Alvarez was firmly in Barcelona's sights. As the weeks passed, it became evident the Argentine was their only real target.
Barcelona claim they submitted a $116 million (€100 million) offer for Álvarez in late May, a bid Atlético Madrid promptly turned down. From that point on, Atléti publicly maintained they had no intention of entertaining a transfer to Barça, a position that held firm even after the player himself pushed for a move.
Yet the Catalans never shifted their focus to pursue comparable alternatives; they held out for a resolution in the Álvarez saga. While it's true that world-class strikers are a rare commodity in the transfer market, Barcelona made little genuine effort to explore other avenues — aside from reported early-summer inquiries into the possibility of signing Chelsea's João Pedro, a move the London club quickly dismissed.
Not even Torres's departure to Paris Saint-Germain in early August prompted a change in Barcelona's approach. No serious moves were made for other center forwards in the wake of his exit, and with just a week remaining in the window, club president Joan Laporta was still publicly voicing Barça's determination to sign Alvarez. This drew a sharp response from Atlético Madrid CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, who reaffirmed that Atléti "won't negotiate with Barcelona under any circumstance."
With the window closing fast, landing Alvarez appeared out of reach. Now left without a senior center forward, Barcelona have seemingly settled on Jesus as a budget-friendly solution to their long-standing striker problem.
What Jesus Can Offer Barcelona
While there's no question that Jesus's imminent arrival feels somewhat anticlimactic given the caliber of player Barça had been pursuing, it's equally true that he provides much-needed depth in a thin area of the squad.
Injuries have plagued Jesus in recent seasons. After an encouraging start to his Arsenal career in 2022–23, persistent knee problems began to mount before a serious ACL tear early in 2025 dealt him a major setback.
Jesus returned to action last December, but struggled to earn regular minutes with the eventual Premier League champions, slipping behind Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz in the striking pecking order. Arsenal were keen to facilitate his departure this summer with his contract entering its final year, and Barcelona appear to have taken advantage of the situation to acquire the Brazilian at a bargain price.
It's a low-risk, high-reward move for the Catalans. Jesus is unlikely to nail down a starting spot in Flick's lineup, but if he can put his injury troubles behind him, he could prove a valuable option from the bench. He's not a traditional target man in the mold of Lewandowski, but he is technically accomplished, capable of combining effectively with fellow attackers, and known for his pressing contributions — a quality Flick holds in high regard.
He brings a distinct profile to a Barça attack already brimming with options. It may not be the headline-grabbing signing the Catalans chased all summer, but at a bargain fee and with modest expectations, Jesus represents a sensible, practical addition at the club's most vulnerable position. He is the very definition of a market opportunity.
Barcelona's 2026–27 Attack Appears Set—Will it Suffice?
Barring any surprise late-window activity, Barcelona's summer recruitment appears to be complete. As things stand, Flick's attack looks markedly different from what it was during his first two seasons at the helm.
Jesus joins wide forwards Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi as Barcelona's key attacking additions, with Torres and Lewandowski both having departed. Jesus is the only conventional striker in the squad, with teenager Hamza Abdelkarim yet to make his senior debut — and the promising Egyptian is unlikely to feature prominently this season.
Through two matches in 2026–27, Raphinha has been deployed as the team's striker and has already contributed three goals and one assist. "He wears 11, but what a No. 9," Barcelona wrote on social media alongside a photo of the Brazilian.
"As a No. 9, you always start the pressing," Flick explained when discussing his choice to use Raphinha as a striker. "He's doing this very well. And of course he is one of our leaders on the pitch, and everyone knows exactly when he starts the intensity, the dynamic, everyone is included.
La visión de Pedri y la clase de Raphinha ✨ #BarçaAthletic | #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/Hi0osbphtm
"And of course, in front of goal, he's doing really fantastically and that's why he's playing there. He can play there; it's not a problem for him."
Flick also noted that Fermín López is another option at striker, while Dani Olmo and Anthony Gordon have each briefly led the line during Barça's opening two fixtures. Without a natural center forward, the German coach is banking on a fluid, at times position-less attack built around versatile, energetic, quick, and technically gifted forwards capable of threatening opponents in multiple ways. So far, the approach is paying off — Barça have netted seven goals across two games.
Flick will have the option of setting up a more conventional attack with Jesus leading the line in his natural role. However, with Raphinha in such impressive form, he remains the frontrunner to serve as Barça's primary striker this season.
This attack, rich in variety and versatility, is more than capable of delivering Barça a third straight La Liga title by the end of the campaign. However, the club's primary ambition is Champions League glory, and despite being close to finally securing a striker, their absence of a truly clinical No. 9 could be exposed as they look to end an 11-year wait for European silverware.