Despite Jesus's arrival: Barcelona refuse to give up on the Alvarez deal

Barcelona are closing in on Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus for 10 million euros, a swift deal that has the blessing of coach Hansi Flick.

The Catalans will now start their UEFA Champions League campaign against Feyenoord with a genuine number nine, filling the one gap they needed to fill after the exits of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.

According to "Sport", the arrival of Jesus does not slam shut the pursuit Barcelona began several weeks ago: the attempt to sign Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez.

Barcelona accept that Atletico's stance makes a deal impossible before the current window closes, so the Catalan club have decided to hold off.

They will try again in January, when the winter market opens and the circumstances may look very different.

Faced with Atletico's intransigence, Barcelona will not pile on more pressure during the closing days of the window.

Backing off now is not the same as walking away for good. Julian Alvarez remains a priority for the project, and the club want to keep the door open over the coming months.

Four months could change everything, in Barcelona's view. Atletico's sporting situation, the relationship between Julian and the Madrid club's supporters, and above all the player's own desire will decide whether the file can be reopened in January.

January, then, has become the next chance to learn whether the wall built by Atletico stays impenetrable, or whether time finally carves out a path to what Barcelona want.