Barcelona’s move for Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus makes sense as a short-term response after Atletico de Madrid ended their hopes of signing Julian Alvarez.
With the summer transfer window close to shutting, Atletico made it clear they would not sell the Argentina international, despite the player’s desire to make the move. Barcelona therefore had to abandon their pursuit of a forward who could have complemented their attack and potentially taken them to another level.
The late timing left Barcelona with few alternatives. Against that backdrop, their decision to pursue Jesus should not have been unexpected.
Under normal circumstances, the Catalan club might have been reluctant to sign a forward whose career has been repeatedly disrupted by injury. However, reported terms of a €10m fixed fee, plus €4m in add-ons and a 20% sell-on clause, make the deal a logical one for Barcelona at this stage.
Jesus is still only 29 and, if he can avoid further injury problems, he could prove a valuable addition. During four seasons with the Gunners, he has scored 32 goals and supplied 17 assists in 123 appearances in all competitions.
Those figures need to be considered alongside the Brazilian’s fitness record. He has suffered 13 separate injuries during that period, including two serious knee problems. Even so, his scoring rate of roughly one goal every four appearances remains respectable, and only five Arsenal players have scored more since he joined the club.
His output is more impressive when measured against his playing time. Jesus has accumulated 5,625 minutes for Arsenal, compared with 14,753 for Bukayo Saka in some cases.
Only two players have managed more than Jesus’ 15 fast breaks. He has also struck the woodwork seven times. Had those efforts gone in, he would have been within four goals of Martin Ødegaard, who has played 14,146 minutes for Arsenal to date.
Barcelona’s style could offer Jesus an opportunity to improve those numbers. A side that creates several chances in most matches should provide the striker with plenty of opportunities in front of goal.
There is also a personal incentive for Jesus. His career has not developed as expected over the past few years, largely because of his injury problems, and he now has a point to prove. That could work in Barcelona’s favour, with the player arriving to revive his career rather than simply secure a lucrative contract.
Barcelona have also traditionally looked effective when using a smaller centre-forward. That is not intended to diminish the contribution of Robert Lewandowski, but Jesus could fit a profile that has worked well for the club in the past.
His 57.32% shot accuracy was bettered by Noni Madueke, Ethan Nwaneri, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Emile Smith Rowe. Of those players, only Aubameyang offers a direct comparison because of his position and the amount of time he spent on the pitch.
Jesus’ aerial ability may also surprise some observers. His 43 headed attempts at goal are the second-highest total recorded by an Arsenal player over the past five seasons. Another Gabriel, Gabriel Magalhaes, leads the category with 79.
The Brazilian created 38 big chances, narrowly short of the best figure in the squad, while his pass-completion rate of 81.15% is entirely acceptable for a forward.
His defensive contribution has been notable too. Jesus attempted 85 tackles during his time at Emirates Stadium, winning 56 of them for a success rate of 65.88%.
He attempted 1,022 duels, the fifth-highest figure in the Arsenal squad, although his total of 415 victories is towards the lower end.
Barcelona are unlikely to be signing Jesus primarily for his defensive work. With plenty of other players capable of making challenges, his effectiveness in one-on-one situations will be less important than his ability to finish chances.
He may not be the South American forward Barcelona wanted, and he is arguably not the player their supporters expected. Even so, the transfer could work in their favour, perhaps even if his stay lasts only one season.
The move gives Barcelona breathing space in the transfer market while costing them considerably less than their intended deal for Alvarez. If Jesus can remain fit and help the club compete with their rivals domestically and in Europe, there is unlikely to be much complaint from the Camp Nou faithful.