Barcelona have completed the signing of Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus for 15m euros (£12.8m) on a three-year contract.

The Spanish champions had also been pursuing a deal for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, but Atletico made it clear they would not negotiate with their La Liga rivals.

At his unveiling, the 29-year-old was asked: “The whole summer Barca has been looking for a number nine and decided Alvarez was the plan A. Your arrival was a surprise. Does it offend you that it seems like Plan B or C has come into play?”

He replied: “This doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t offend me.

“What offends me is when someone says I’m a bad guy, something no one has ever said to me in my life. So that doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is not playing football.”

Jesus had fallen down the pecking order in recent seasons at Arsenal due to injury issues, as well as Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres being the preferred central strikers at the club.

Napoli had also shown an interest in Jesus, but the Brazilian has now joined last season’s Spanish league champions after completing his medical on Monday. The deal includes a sell-on clause for the Gunners.

Jesus joined Arsenal from Manchester City in 2022, scoring 32 goals and adding 22 assists in 123 appearances for the Gunners.

Speaking to the media before Arsenal’s win over Aston Villa, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Jesus was not training with the squad.

When asked whether that meant the forward was leaving, Arteta said: “Personal situations, whatever they are, I think it’s clear.”

Jesus would be Barcelona’s third signing from a Premier League club this summer, following the arrivals of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle and Rodri from Manchester City.

The Gunners have also sold Fabio Vieira to Hamburger SV while Ethan Nwaneri is getting closer to completing a loan move to Borussia Dortmund.