Eberechi Eze represents the perfect solution to Arsenal's attacking struggles, offering exactly the creative spark Mikel Arteta desperately needs. He is a dribbler who can break down the most stubborn defences, while Arsenal remains the club he most desires after the heartbreak of being released from their academy at age 13.
"I was 13 when Arsenal released me," Eze told The Independent in 2020. "I remember crying in my room for a solid week, my mum telling me that it's going to be OK but not being able to get over it. When I went over to shake the academy manager's hand at a later match, I started welling up. All the feelings came back."
Eze came close to signing for Tottenham this week, but if he was ever to leave Selhurst Park, Arsenal always felt like the rightful home for his peak years. Yet questions remain about his place under Arteta and exactly where he fits into a squad brimming with talent.
Arsenal's attacking deficiencies
Arteta was clear about Arsenal's shortcomings last term, bemoaning a lack of "purpose and direction" in the final third and suggesting his players needed to deliver more "magic moments". Arsenal's expected goals tally of 60 ranked only seventh in the Premier League, well behind their title rivals and even below Palace.
There was acknowledgement within the club that their attacking output urgently needed addressing this summer. Eze is exactly that type of player who can unlock the doors Arsenal were regularly banging their heads against.
Multiple attacking combinations
After potential signings of Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Eze, Arteta would have a raft of different combinations to deploy. His attacking weapons would include Gabriel Martinelli's pace behind high lines, Bukayo Saka's direct dribbling against deep defences, and Gyokeres's intelligent movement in the final third.
Martin Odegaard can thread passes while Declan Rice crashes the box. The beauty of Eze is that he can do a little bit of everything on the ball.
Left wing deployment
Arteta would likely use Eze off the left wing, where he has played for both Palace and England. Riccardo Calafiori looks set to make attacking overlapping runs from left-back, allowing Eze room to drift inside and influence games.
Martinelli's patchy form over the past 12 months could see him replaced by Eze on that side. Eze operated as one of two number 10s in Oliver Glasner's 3-4-2-1 system at Palace, demonstrating his capacity for attacking midfield roles.
Formation flexibility
Eze could either replace Odegaard as the most advanced midfielder when rotation is needed, or play alongside the captain with a holding player like Rice or Zubimendi. The latter shape would create a fearsome attacking setup against low-block defences at the Emirates, especially when chasing late goals.
With five substitutions now standard, Eze offers the chance to recalibrate midfield in the final 30 minutes. This tactical flexibility could help win some of those 14 games Arsenal drew last season.
Tactical conundrum
Over the past two seasons, Arteta has deployed Rice as a box-crashing midfielder on the left side of central midfield, creating a potential conundrum. If Eze drifts inside from the right wing, does he step on Rice's toes, and if he starts as a number 8, does Rice have to vacate his best role.
Wherever Eze plays, Arteta would want him on the ball in that left half-space where he is most effective. The suggestion that Kai Havertz's knee injury was the reason Arsenal might push decisively for Eze hints he could be seen as someone who bolsters attacking options rather than a crucial cog to build around.
Sources used: "The Independent"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
