“We’ve been monitoring his situation at Arsenal as we don’t have a player of his quality here in Barca, we want to act fast before Real Madrid table a bid for him”- Barcelona manager Xavi revealed Barca are keen on signing Arsenal’s €75M rated star who is massively ‘exploding’ under Mikel Arteta- Not Jorginho and not Thomas Partey

Real Madrid, Barcelona monitoring on €75 million-rated Arsenal forward

According to a report from AS (h/t ESPN), Real Madrid are eyeing Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus. The Merengues are keeping close tabs on the player’s performance and see him as an option to strengthen the forward line.

However, they are not alone in the race. Arch-rivals Barcelona are also in contention to sign the versatile Brazilian forward, shaping it into an interesting race.

Exploding under Arteta

The 26-year-old Brazilian forward signed for Arsenal last year for a massive fee of €52 million. He scored 11 goals for Mikel Arteta’s side in last season’s Premier League and has continued his good form in the new campaign.

This season, Jesus has only scored one goal for Arsenal in the league in four starts. In the UEFA Champions League, however, he has been the team’s focal point in attack.

In just three European outings, the 26-year-old has netted three goals and provided one assist for the men in red. Further, he averages 1.3 key passes per game and has created two big chances.

Most recently, he was the hero in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Sevilla in the UCL, scoring one goal and providing one assist on the night.

A versatile option for Ancelotti

Karim Benzema’s departure has left a void in the No. 9 position for Real Madrid, contributing to the team’s relative deficiencies in the final third.

Joselu has arrived as a stand-in backup, but the board do not see him as a sustainable option beyond this season. Come next summer, Los Blancos will be on the market for a new number 9, and Jesus stands as a viable option.

Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland will undoubtedly be the primary targets. Yet, with the club no longer obsessed with the two superstars, the Brazilian, whose market value stands at €75 million, may well be a good fit.

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have been tracking Jesus for some time now. But given that he signed for Arsenal only recently, signing him could prove to be a costly affair.