Barcelona have reportedly set their sights on Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus over a move in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Gabriel Jesus is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible transfer in the summer transfer window. The Manchester City striker is being viewed as a potential option for the central striker’s position at Camp Nou.
Gabriel Jesus joined Manchester City from Palmeiras in January 2017 and has since made gradual progress in his career. An established member of the Brazilian national side, the 23-year-old has been in and out of the starting lineup at the Etihad due to the presence of the club’s all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero, while his own inconsistencies have also contributed to such a predicament.
Nevertheless, Jesus has a decent record of 79 goals and 33 assists in 180 appearances across all competitions over the course of his Manchester City career till date. And despite blowing hot and cold at times, his stock appears to be quite high, with Barcelona reportedly keen on signing him.
Barcelona are reported to be in the market for a striker ahead of the summer transfer window, with Alexander Isak among those being linked with a possible switch to Camp Nou. The eagerness to bolster their attack by signing a natural striker is well founded as well.
Last summer, Barcelona chose to part ways with Luis Suarez without signing a replacement, leaving Ronald Koeman with Martin Braithwaite as the only regulation striker in his squad. As a result, the Barcelona manager has spent the majority of the season using Lionel Messi through the middle, although that has gotten him a lot of success.
Having said that, there have been several instances when the absence of a natural striker has been telling, which is why it is prudent to invest in one this summer. Jesus’s Manchester City teammate Sergio Aguero has also been linked with Barcelona in recent months, although the 23-year-old would represent a longer term solution for the Blaugrana.
However, their financial struggles could force Barcelona to look for more economical solutions in the transfer market, making Aguero more of a viable target, considering Jesus’s current deal with Manchester City runs till the summer of 2023. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see if Barcelona do end up launching the offensive for the Brazilian striker come summer.
