- Everton have been linked with Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus.
- Previous arrivals from Arsenal have produced mixed results on Merseyside.
- History suggests pedigree alone isn’t enough to guarantee success at Everton.
The road from North London to Merseyside is one that has been travelled before, with varying degrees of success.
With Everton reportedly considering a move for Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus this summer, it is worth looking back at the club’s previous dealings with the Gunners.
Interestingly, there have not been many.
But the handful of Arsenal players who have arrived at Everton offer an important lesson for David Moyes and the club’s recruitment team as they prepare for another crucial transfer window.
The lesson is simple: Arsenal pedigree means very little on its own.
Alex Iwobi set the standard
If Everton supporters were asked to name the most successful signing from Arsenal in recent years, Alex Iwobi would comfortably top the list.
When he arrived in 2019, many questioned both the transfer fee and the decision to bring him to Goodison Park.
His early performances did little to silence those concerns.
However, over time, Iwobi became one of Everton’s most dependable players. Whether deployed centrally, out wide or in a deeper midfield role, he consistently delivered effort, versatility and availability during some of the club’s most difficult seasons.
More importantly, he arrived with something to prove.
That hunger ultimately became one of his greatest strengths.
Theo Walcott offered a warning
Theo Walcott’s move from Arsenal in 2018 looked like an exciting piece of business at the time.
The England international arrived with an impressive CV and years of Premier League experience.
There were positive moments. Walcott scored important goals and remained a useful contributor throughout his time at the club.
Yet he never became the transformative signing many supporters expected.
His reputation often felt bigger than his actual impact.
That does not make the move a failure, but it does highlight the danger of signing a player based primarily on what they have achieved elsewhere.
Richard Wright shows pedigree guarantees nothing
Perhaps the clearest warning comes from Richard Wright.
Signed by David Moyes in 2002 after spells with Arsenal and England, Wright looked like the ideal long-term solution between the posts.
Instead, injuries and inconsistency prevented him from establishing himself as Everton’s number one.
On paper, the signing made complete sense.
On the pitch, it simply never worked.
The Gabriel Jesus question
That brings Everton back to Jesus.
There is no doubt he would arrive with arguably the strongest pedigree of any Arsenal player Everton have targeted in years. Premier League titles, Champions League football and experience at the highest level are difficult to ignore.
But Everton should remember the lessons of Iwobi, Walcott and Wright.
The players who succeed at Everton are rarely those who arrive solely because of their reputation.
They are the players who arrive with purpose, motivation and a point to prove.
If Jesus still possesses those qualities, he could become another success story.
If Everton are signing him simply because of the name on the back of his shirt, history suggests they should think twice.
