BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Gabriel Jesus arrived in Barcelona on Monday to finalize a move from Arsenal.
The Brazilian forward said he was “very happy” in a brief exchange with media at the airport.
Barcelona will reportedly pay Arsenal 10 million euros ($11.6 million) plus add-ons for the transfer of the 29-year-old.
He was expected to undergo a medical before signing his contract.
Gabriel Jesus, who needed major knee surgery in the past, said he was fit and his knee was “perfect.”
He should help Barcelona make up for the failure to sign Julián Álvarez from Atletico Madrid. The Argentina forward told Atletico he wants to be transferred but the Madrid club said it will not sell him to Barcelona.
Barcelona has already boosted its attack with England forward Anthony Gordon. It lost Robert Lewandowski, who joined the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer, and Ferran Torres, who went to Paris Saint-Germain.
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
FILE - Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus controls the ball during a Champions League semifinal, first leg, soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal in Madrid, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international soccer on Monday after two decades representing Argentina.
“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deeply — but I understand that the time has come,” the 39-year-old Messi said on his Instagram account.
“I swear to you that I always gave it my all — not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”
Messi played in a record-tying six World Cups, won it in 2022 in Qatar and led Argentina to this year's final, losing to Spain in extra time in New Jersey.
In the World Cup hosted in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, Messi played all eight matches and scored eight goals. He finished just one goal behind France’s Kylian Mbappé, the tournament’s top scorer. He concluded his international career as Argentina's all-time leading scorer with 125 goals, 21 of which were scored in World Cups.
He explained he wrote his retirement letter on July 21 — two days after the World Cup final — but waited to publish it because his father was facing health issues that eventually claimed his life.
Jorge Messi died on Aug. 8 in his native Rosario.
Messi will continue to play for Inter Miami. Over the weekend he scored four times in a 7-1 win over CF Montreal.
He made his Argentina debut in 2006 but his journey was fraught with frustration until he finally lifted the World Cup in 2022.
“Thank you for all the love these past 20 years," he said. "I’m going to miss hearing you all from the inside so much. Now I’m going to be one of you, cheering and supporting you from the outside (through thick and thin, even more so).”
In the letter, the Inter Miami captain did not say how long he intends to continue playing.
“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — along with my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of. Experiencing this with you was incredible. I love you all,” he added.
Messi's stellar recent success with Argentina nearly didn’t happen.
A decade ago, before the World Cup triumph and Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, he retired from the national team. The decision followed Argentina's defeat in the 2016 Copa América final to Chile on penalty kicks, one of which he missed.
But Messi shook off the notion of not being able to win the big match. He continued starring for Barcelona, then Paris Saint-Germain, then Inter Miami.
He’s the two-time defending Most Valuable Player in Major League Soccer, the star of the league reigning champion, someone who still creates goals in the biggest moments.
“He is pure history,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said during the recent World Cup. “History. A legend.”
AP Sports writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
FILE - Argentina's Angel Di Maria, top, celebrates with Argentina's Lionel Messi after scoring against Ecuador during a World Cup 2014 qualifying soccer game in Buenos Aires, June 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Fernandez, File)
FILE - People sing happy birthday to Lionel Messi at a street mural of him in Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)
FILE - Argentina's Lionel Messi, left, competes for the ball with Nigeria's Danny Shittu, right, and Nigeria's Dickson Etuhu, center, during the World Cup group B soccer match in Johannesburg, South Africa, June 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)
FILE - Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) dribbles between England's Anthony Gordon (18) and Harry Kane (9) during the World Cup semifinal soccer match in Atlanta, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
FILE - Argentina's Lionel Messi scores his team's second goal during the group F World Cup soccer match against Bosnia in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi reacts following an unsuccessful scoring attempt during the first half of an MLS soccer match against CF Montreal, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
