Arsenal’s summer recruit has lifted the lid on a dramatic window. Eberechi Eze says he was “willing” to join Tottenham Hotspur before a late move from the Gunners changed everything. The former Crystal Palace talisman was courted by several clubs, but north London’s rivals led the chase as the deadline neared. Spurs thought they had it wrapped up—until Arsenal arrived with conviction and a bigger bid.
Eberechi Eze Arsenal move reshaped by a late bid
Eze revealed he had been ready to sign elsewhere before Arsenal made their play. He had already met Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta weeks earlier and made clear he wanted to return to his boyhood club. On the very day he was due to put pen to paper for Spurs, the 27-year-old called Arteta to confirm whether the Emirates switch was still alive.
Arsenal, who had weighed up Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, moved decisively once Eze pushed. Arteta later reflected that the phone call “shows you how much he wanted to come,” after a £67.5 million deal was agreed.
Tottenham interest and the £55m near miss
Tottenham had seized control by mid-August. With James Maddison suffering a serious knee injury and Son Heung-min’s departure accepted, Spurs accelerated plans for a new creator. Talks progressed, personal terms were agreed and Crystal Palace were satisfied with a £55 million fee.
“I was prepared to go to Tottenham,” Eze admitted during a school visit this week, as quoted by The Athletic. “But from the moment Arsenal came, it was always going to be them.” It was the pivotal twist that turned a near miss for Spurs into a statement capture for Arsenal.
Andrea Berta meeting and Arteta’s call
The groundwork mattered. Eberechi Eze had sat down with Arteta and Berta several weeks before Tottenham formalised their push. That early dialogue set expectations and clarified fit. When it looked like Spurs would close, Eze’s direct call to Arteta reopened the door and accelerated Arsenal’s response.
The shift also explains Arsenal’s internal calculus. Alternatives were on the table, but once Eze made his preference explicit, focus narrowed. The final fee underscored the club’s belief in his profile and the influence he can bring between the lines.
Eberechi Eze creative output at Arsenal under scrutiny
Eze’s adaptation has been steady rather than explosive. In seven Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season, he has created just two chances from open play — fewer than seven teammates. The context is different to Crystal Palace, where he thrived in transition; for Arsenal, opponents often sit deep and pack the box.
Crystal Palace return to the Emirates on Sunday with a compact shape that will limit space for their former talisman. Arteta expects Eze to embrace the occasion. “There is something in your tummy,” the manager said of facing a former club. The emotions, relationships and decisions that led him here can sharpen his edge. “I’m sure Ebs is going to be ready for that.”
Conclusion: Arsenal won the race because Eberechi Eze wanted Arsenal. The price and the phone call underline it. What matters next is output. If he translates intent into incision against Palace, this “late call” story could quickly become the first chapter of a decisive season.
