Barcelona are close to signing Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal for around £8.6m, or 10m euros. The details are not quite finished but the deal is expected to be done before Tuesday's deadline, and the Brazilian was due to travel for a medical on Monday.
Eight and a half million pounds for a 29-year-old who cost Arsenal £45m four years ago tells you most of what you need to know about how the last 18 months have gone.
Arteta had already said it without saying it
Jesus was not in the squad for the opening game against Coventry. He was not training with the group before Monday night's trip to Aston Villa either. Asked on Thursday whether that meant he was leaving, Mikel Arteta gave the answer managers give when they do not want to confirm anything: "Personal situations, whatever they are, I think it's clear."
It was clear. Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres are ahead of him. His contract runs to summer 2027, so Arsenal had a choice between a small fee now and nothing in 12 months. They took the fee.
The knee is the question
Napoli were interested. Barcelona moved because Julian Alvarez became unavailable, with Atletico Madrid refusing to negotiate with a domestic rival, and because Jesus suddenly was.
Hansi Flick gets a forward who can play across the front line rather than a fixed number nine, which suits how Barcelona attack, and he gets Premier League experience for very little money. Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres both left this summer, so the squad needed a body up front regardless.
What Barcelona are betting on is the knee. Jesus tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in January 2025 and missed 10 months. Knee problems have shadowed his entire Arsenal spell. He still managed 27 appearances and six goals last season, and his overall Arsenal record reads 32 goals and 22 assists in 123 games, which is respectable rather than what £45m was meant to buy.
Arsenal's Brazilian clear-out
Jesus is not the only one going. Gabriel Martinelli travels to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for a medical with Al-Hilal, with a fee of at least £50m agreed and a four-year contract on wages well above the £180,000 a week he earns at the Emirates. Arteta made it plain he was not in the plans.
For Barcelona, Jesus would be the third Premier League signing of their summer after Anthony Gordon from Newcastle and Rodri from Manchester City. That is a lot of English football arriving at Camp Nou in one window.
Arsenal host Villa on Monday at 20:00 BST. Neither Brazilian will be involved.
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