Everton are set to make a move for Gabriel Jesus, with it being revealed they could sign the Arsenal striker.
In the early stages of the summer transfer window, the Toffees looked to strengthen their attack, with Tierno Barry failing to make the impact he had hoped for in his debut season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, scoring just eight goals in the Premier League.
While Barry has struggled to adjust to life in England, Jesus has plenty of experience in the top flight, having played for Manchester City and the Gunners.
The Brazilian only made 14 appearances in the Premier League last season due to injuries, but he was praised by manager Mikel Arteta in December, who said: “I think he brought something else to the table, which I was really happy to see and it was a confidence booster for him as well, and I was really happy to see that some of his teammates, some of whom had never played with him before, felt that.
“So Gabby has a really special quality that suddenly brings everyone around her together. That’s what we need as a team and it’s going to make us better.”
Football Fancast Verdict | |
|---|---|
reliability | Not only did Barry fail to impress last season, Beto was far from prolific throughout his time on Merseyside, scoring 25 goals in 111 games for the Toffees. With that in mind, signing a proven striker in the Premier League could be ideal. |
finances | Arsenal are expected to pay £20m, so the 29-year-old’s deal won’t be a huge deal. However, his wage demands could pose a problem as the centre-forward earns a whopping £265,000-a-week at the Emirates Stadium. |
insight | The Brazil international, who played for Man City and Arsenal and has 64 caps, has played 243 times in the Premier League, scoring 79 goals and providing 45 assists. However, he has found the back of the net just six times over the past two seasons as he spent much time on the sideline due to injury. |
impact | If Everton were to sign Jesus, manager David Moyes would have a choice of three strikers, which could be too many given the manager’s 4-2-3-1 formation. The signing of the Arsenal star could also have an impact on the Toffees’ bid for Chelsea striker Liam Delap, who is currently their favorite to sign. |
Everton move ahead in signing Gabriel Jesus
According to journalist Gianluigi Longari (via One Football), Everton are currently in contact to sign Jesus, with Moyes looking to add firepower up front.
The Gunners are willing to sell him for £20m, which would be a reasonable price, but it is thought his wage demands could be prohibitive given the Toffees’ wage structure, and there are also concerns over his injury history.
Gabriel Jesus could be risky to sign for Everton
The Sao Paulo-born star proved he can be one of the Premier League’s top strikers, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in 26 appearances during his debut season at the Emirates Stadium.
However, £20m would be a significant amount for a player who started just three Premier League games last season and has struggled with injuries for a long time.
Jesus’ high salary could also be an issue, although his salary is more modest compared to Delap, who is also being targeted as a striker and earns £100,000-a-week at Stamford Bridge.
The centre-forward struggled in his debut season with Chelsea, scoring just once in the Premier League, but managed to score 12 times for Ipswich Town in 2024-25.
Delap could therefore be an ideal target for Everton, and he is not the only English player to attract attention, with Hayden Hackney set to complete his move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium this week.
Bowen decides to join Everton after direct negotiations with manager Moyes
The West Ham United forward has a close relationship with the Everton manager.
