Eberechi Eze will almost certainly become an Arsenal player despite looking set to sign for Tottenham, though footage of him expressing his love for the Gunners proves his dream destination was never in doubt
Eberechi Eze looks set to sign for Arsenal after they swooped in to steal him from under rivals Tottenham's noses. And old footage of the Crystal Palace star declaring his love for the Gunners proves the move was destined.
Mikel Arteta's side launched a quick and successful move for Eze on Wednesday evening, agreeing a deal in principle worth around £68million. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy had already negotiated a £60m package for the England international before Gunners executive vice-chairman Tim Lewis' relationship with Palace chief Steve Parish saw them leapfrog their rivals and seal a £60m plus £7.5m in add-ons deal.
The 27-year-old wishes to play one last time for the Eagles when they face Fredrikstad in a Conference League play-off on Thursday night. However, boss Oliver Glasner may be forced to exclude him to avoid risking injury. Nevertheless, Eze seems fated to become an Arsenal player, and if old footage of the forward is anything to go by, this move has been written in the stars for some time.
Back when Eze was a budding prospect for Queens Park Rangers, he was interviewed and asked about who his favourite team was. Given that the then-20-year-old had originally been part of the Gunners' Hale End academy before being released at 13, his answer was clear.
"Arsenal. I've just supported them from young," replied Eze to Alessandro Morolli-Schiavone, with four words further summing up his feelings. "They're my favourite team."
He added: "The way they play. I played with them when I was younger as well. When I was younger, I used to love Thierry Henry, and that's sort of why I decided to sign for them. Just growing up playing for them, I've grown a love for them."
Eze was also asked if he would depart QPR should Arsenal come in for him, though he gave a diplomatic answer, retorting: "I don't know about all of that. I'm a QPR player now and I'm happy to be playing for QPR."
The Gunners were further Eze's pick for winning the Premier League that year, the 2018/19 season, as when asked who were his champions elect, he stated: "Arsenal. I believe, somehow." The north London side finished fifth.
Despite being left crying for a week after being let go by Arsenal when he was a 13-year-old academy starlet, Eze's love for the Gunners is evident. Personal terms weren't a problem when Arsenal reignited negotiations for the 27-year-old, whose signing would help ease the blow of losing Kai Havertz to injury.
Eze's football career began at Arsenal, though he was also part of Fulham, Reading and Millwall's academies before his move to QPR in 2016. It was there that he broke into the first team, earning a £17m move to Palace in 2020.
Since then, he has scored 39 goals in 167 games for the Eagles, 14 of which came last term. One of those strikes won the FA Cup for Palace when they bested Manchester City 1-0 in May. Before the final, Eze was asked about his jaw-dropping technical ability and gave a response that will excite Arsenal fans.
"It's easy to lose sight of, especially (with) the type of player I am, why I'm doing what I'm doing," Eze told BBC Sport before the FA Cup final, discussing his skill. "Why do I run with the ball? Why do I try things? Why am I creative? Why do I do things that maybe players wouldn't think to do?
"The reason is for the people who are watching. It's what you're doing to people in the stands and how you can get people off their feet; that's what football's about. It feels like football is starting to shift a bit, and there's maybe not as much of that, but as long as I play, that's all I want to do."