Gabriel Jesus said he took a pay cut to ensure he landed his “dream” transfer after signing for Barcelona from Arsenal on Tuesday.
Jesus has joined Barça on a three-year contract after the two clubs agreed a deal worth up to €15 million (£12.85m) with a sell-on fee included.
“I took a significant salary drop, but it’s a dream to be here,” Jesus confirmed at his presentation.
“But it wasn’t just me who had to make an effort to get the transfer over line, Barça also played their part.
“If you had asked me one month ago, I would have said it was unlikely this would happen. At 29, I didn’t think I would have the chance to come to Barça.”
Jesus’ move to Barcelona developed quickly over the weekend after the Spanish champions failed to land their top target, Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez.
