Eberechi Eze would solve two Arsenal problems in one ...Middle East

Arsenal are accelerating plans to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace after reportedly holding talks with his representatives over the weekend.

The 27-year-old has been tipped to leave the Eagles this summer after scoring the biggest goal in the club’s 118-year history in May: the winner against Manchester City in the FA Cup final to secure their first-ever trophy.

The England international is in the final two years of his contract and is believed to have a release clause of around £67.5m, which has attracted the attention of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

The Gunners have been busy bolstering Mikel Arteta’s squad at the start of the transfer window with deals in place for defensive midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Now, attention is being turned to the attack, with a winger and a striker the next priorities on sporting director Andrea Berta’s to-do-list.

Eze’s career will come full circle if he joins Arsenal. He was released by the club as a youngster, a decision that hit him hard at the time but fuelled his desire to get to the top.

“I was at Arsenal until I was 13 before I got released and that was very tough to take,” he said in 2023.

“Obviously, that was all I knew at that time as a child. I loved football, I loved playing for Arsenal and that was probably built into my identity at that age as a child.

“It was like: ‘This is Ebere, he plays for Arsenal’. So, the moment that I got released, a huge chunk of my identity was gone.”

Problem one: Arsenal’s lopsided attack

If Arsenal were unconvinced by Eze’s abilities then, they certainly aren’t now.

During five seasons with Palace, Eze has evolved into one of the Premier League’s most watchable players, with his dribbling style and classy technique earning him fans well beyond Selhurst Park.

In recent years, his output has increased. The 2024-25 campaign was Eze’s best, and not just for that defining moment at Wembley. He managed 16 direct goal contributions in the Premier League, with eight goals – including a spectacular volley at the Emirates – and eight assists apiece.

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He hit a purple patch from April onwards, scoring six times and setting up two more in his final nine appearances, all from an inverted left wing position.

Palace’s tactical setup under Oliver Glasner is very different from Arsenal’s under Arteta, with the wing-backs providing width in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Eze’s role is as one of the two number 10s, to the left of striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.

At Arsenal, he would play wider in a 4-3-3, albeit with the same instruction to move infield to make things happen. Only three players in the top flight attempted more shots per 90 minutes (with 3.5) than Eze last season.

Eze would rival Gabriel Martinelli on the left. While both are direct by nature, Eze is more impactful, taking more shots and creating more chances than the Brazilian on average. Conversely, Martinelli’s speed makes him a more potent counter-attacking weapon.

Martinelli has been largely unchallenged over the past few seasons and his output has dipped. His 12 goal involvements (eight goals, four assists) in 2024-25 compared unfavourably to Eze, albeit he played 301 fewer minutes.

Arsenal would benefit from having greater competition and efficiency on their left flank. Last season, 43 per cent of their attacks were manufactured down their right flank, compared to 33 per cent on the left, and that figure was higher before Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury.

That preference to attack down the right risks becoming predictable. Buying one of the league’s most unpredictable attackers to play on the opposite side looks a smart way to counteract that potential problem.

Odegaard had a frustrating 2024-25 (Photo: Getty)

Martin Odegaard is another Arsenal starter who could benefit from the arrival of a direct competitor.

Last season was by far Odegaard’s worst at Arsenal. The Norwegian suffered the most serious injury of his career to date, an ankle ligament sprain that cost him two months of the season, and his performances for the most part fell below the standards he has previously set.

Odegaard ended the season with three goals and eight assists in 30 Premier League games, but almost half of those contributions came from 20 April onwards, when the title had already been ceded to Liverpool.

Perhaps his prior fitness record and impressive consistency fuelled complacency on Arsenal’s part last summer.

Odegaard’s understudies Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira were both allowed to leave, with no direct replacement signed for either.

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Ethan Nwaneri was promoted from the U23s but predominantly played on the right wing.

Eze is a natural playmaker accustomed to playing as a No 10. Adding him to the squad would keep Odegaard on his toes and give Arteta greater flexibility to give his captain a breather.

Last season was the first in his last four that Odegaard failed to start more than 32 Premier League matches. By reducing their overreliance on Odegaard, Arsenal could help him get back to his best.

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