Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s anticipated signing of Eberechi Eze proves the club is “showing the ambition” that’s required to win major trophies.
“We want to be in front in the league, not just chasing or reacting or being behind, but in front of it, and every decision that we make in every area of the club is to achieve that,” the manager added.
The Gunners reached an agreement to sign Eze from Crystal Palace for over £60 million, beating out local rivals Tottenham Hotspur to his signature, reports transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner all but confirmed that Eze is leaving after omitting the 27-year-old from his squad for Thursday’s 1-0 win over Fredrikstad in the Conference League playoffs. The Austrian tactician wished the attacking midfielder “all the best for his new club.”
“Honestly, I expected that he would start today for us, but he called me this morning and said that he doesn’t feel well to play in the evening,” Glasner explained, according to the Associated Press.
After the match, Glasner conceded that Eze will likely not play for the Eagles again.
Eze will become Arsenal’s seventh signing of a busy summer, the club’s first under new sporting director Andrea Berta. Arsenal matched the financial package offered by Spurs, and Eze, a boyhood Arsenal fan who played for the club’s academy, reportedly made the final decision on which of the north London teams he preferred to join.
“The better the feeling, the stronger the feeling, I think the better,” Arteta said of Eze’s Arsenal allegiance.
“It brings a different edge, a different will and emotion to what you do. I think that always brings something extra.”
Arsenal’s move for Eze appeared to accelerate after the team learned of an injury to Kai Havertz. However, Arteta said there was no relation between the German forward’s knee issue and Eze’s arrival.
“We are not reacting to anything,” he insisted. “We’ve been very prepared and understanding what we could do, and we have decided this is the moment to do it.”
Eze has made 169 appearances for Crystal Palace since his transfer from Queens Park Rangers in 2020, scoring 40 goals.
His potential arrival would give Mikel Arteta another creative playmaker who can operate in multiple positions.
Though most comfortable as a No. 10, Eze will likely slot into Arsenal’s lineup as a left-sided attacker, further strengthening a positional group that already includes Gabriel Martinelli and summer signing Noni Madueke.