Barcelona sign star striker after Lewandowski’s departure

Barcelona have officially completed the signing of Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus, who agreed to a three-year contract with the reigning Spanish champions.

The 29-year-old joins from Arsenal after several seasons affected by injuries. He had become a reserve attacking option at the London club. Spanish and English media reported a transfer fee of 10 million euros, with additional bonuses possible under the contract.

Barcelona had sought a new forward after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. Their first choice was Argentina international Julián Álvarez, but the club did not complete a deal with Atlético Madrid before turning to Gabriel Jesus.

Gabriel Jesus began his professional career at Palmeiras and moved to European football in 2017, joining Manchester City. He made his biggest mark there, scoring 58 goals in 159 league appearances. Since 2022, he has played for Arsenal. He has also made 64 appearances for Brazil and scored 19 goals.

Barcelona had already added Anthony Gordon for 80 million euros, Rodri for 60 million and Karim Adeyemi for 22 million during the summer. The club opened the new La Liga season with wins over Elche, Athletic and Rayo Vallecano, scoring 5-0, 2-0 and 5-2 victories respectively.