Eberechi Eze Q&A: How Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur to Crystal Palace winger and what he can bring to Emirates
With Eberechi Eze heading for boyhood club Arsenal after the Gunners stole a march on north London rivals Spurs - who looked certain to sign him - what's the full story in yet another dramatic saga in one of the most memorable transfer windows ever?
At the start of Wednesday morning, Tottenham believed they had a deal agreed for the 27-year-old to join them for £67.5m, including add-ons.
But then in stepped Arsenal - who had previously had an interest in the England winger - to gazump them at the final hurdle.
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It leaves Gunners fans delighted, their left-wing problems seemingly sorted and Spurs supporters, naturally, in a state of shock at losing out on a major summer signing to their closest rivals.
How has it all played out so far, and what's next for Arsenal, Spurs and Eze?
How did Tottenham lose out on Eze so late in the day?
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
I have some sympathy for Spurs. This is not Football Manager, this is real life. I don't want to kick Spurs when they're down - I'm trying to see it from the perspective of their hierarchy.
I think they did everything they could to try to sell the club to Eze. A lot of Spurs fans are asking why they didn't trigger his release clause before Friday, but maybe they tried to do that and the player could've dragged his feet. Maybe he was keeping his options open.
Spurs fans are very angry and criticising Daniel Levy and the owners, but I think we should keep things in perspective; these kinds of things happen all the time in the window.
Ultimately, everyone knows Eze is an Arsenal fan, as are his whole family. He played for them until he was 13 when he was released.
What motivated Arsenal to strike so late?
Is this move motivated by the fact that Kai Havertz picked up this knee injury?
Or have they been really smart and avoided getting involved in a bidding war? They knew he would choose Arsenal if he had a choice - and waited for Spurs to agree a deal before they turned up at the 11th hour and matched it. I think it's a bit of both.
Today's a great day to be an Arsenal supporter. They have pulled off a real coup here. At the last minute, they matched Spurs' offer, and it's important to remember Eze himself is an Arsenal supporter.
His wish was very important in this - Arsenal matched Spurs' bid of £60m including £7.5m in add-ons. Remember, he had a release clause which expired last week which was worth up to £68m.
Arsenal have been interested in signing him all summer and their fans were crying out for them to make a move for him.
When you looked at how much business they had already done this summer you could suggest they had to sell before they brought in another player.
Why didn't Spurs trigger Eze's release clause?
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner confirmed Eze's previous release clause, of £68.5m - only £1m more than Arsenal are set to pay - expired last Friday.
Speaking after Sunday's 0-0 draw at Chelsea, which Eze started, Glasner said: "I'm quite calm, but I also know we have two weeks to go, and I know Ebs' clause is gone, so it's the club's decision, and we will see what happens."
Tottenham could have guaranteed they would have their offer accepted earlier in the window by hitting that target, but only agreed a fee for Eze after it had already expired.
So why didn't they try to trigger it? "It might've needed paying in one lump sum, said Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol. "They might've waited until it expired to get a better deal."
Where next for Tottenham?
Sky Sports News' Michael Bridge:
Tottenham Hotspur moved on from Eberechi Eze once it became clear he wanted to join Arsenal and they are now focusing on other targets.
Spurs want to sign a No 10, a winger and a centre back ahead of the deadline.
Several recent reports have linked Spurs with Tyler Dibling, but this is long-standing interest. There is interest in Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche.
It could be a very busy final few weeks at Spurs and clubs are aware they are prepared to pay £60m on the desired player after missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eze for similar fees.
Spurs feel they couldn't have done any more on both failed deals.
What can Eze bring to Arsenal?
Sky Sports' Ron Walker:
Last season, Arsenal's biggest difficulty was breaking down teams with a low block. They won only seven of 17 games where they had at least 60 per cent of the ball - picking up almost 0.4 points per game fewer than when they didn't.
In among his array of attacking talents, Eze has built a reputation as a defence breaker. Not only a technical marvel and excellent in one-on-one duels, he was one of the Premier League's best in delivering passes which broke opposition backlines last season. Only four players completed more take-ons across the Premier League in 2024/25.
He fits the bill for the defensive work rate Mikel Arteta demands, too. Eze won the ball back in the middle and defensive third more than almost any other attacking player in the Premier League last season.
Sky Sports' Paul Merson:
Eze is a brilliant signing for Arsenal. It's a game-changer and a perfect fit. If Arsenal had let Spurs get him, I'd have had to question what the club was doing because he's a quality player.
Arsenal struggle when teams come to the Emirates and put everyone behind the ball. Teams want to limit the space Arsenal have to play in and they have struggled to break teams down with those tactics.
We've seen it over the last few years where they have struggled to break teams down when it gets right to the business end of a game and the business end of a season.
For me, that's where Eze comes in at Arsenal. He's got the X-factor and in tight games, he has the ability to break a low block down.
Away from home, maybe he's not the answer. Against the likes of Liverpool and Man City, they may come under the cosh for a bit, and they may have to play slightly differently.
But that's why you have a big squad. At home, against the lesser teams, where they have 70 to 80 per cent of the ball, let Eze go and do what he wants because he will make something happen.
I think Arsenal win the league with Eze.
They had a chance without him because it's a real heads or tails season with Liverpool, and Man City played well on the opening weekend, but Eze helps get them over the line.
Does this mean Martinelli through the middle?
Sky Sports' Ron Walker:
If this late move for Eze is motivated by Havertz's injury, it stands to reason it will be someone else adding to their striking ranks because, bar a brief cameo as a false nine for England against Senegal earlier this summer, it's not a position where Eze has often featured.
It may instead mean a role change for Gabriel Martinelli, however. In fairness, the Brazilian has barely played through the middle in six years at the Emirates either, but it has long been seen as his eventual position by many Arsenal fans.
He was utilised as a No 9 against Liverpool late last season, more through necessity than design, but he showed a glimpse of what he can offer to supplement Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus and Havertz as an option in spearheading Arsenal's attack.
After his goalscoring exploits at Anfield, Gary Neville told Sky Sports: "I actually think in the last half of this game Martinelli showed he actually could be a really dangerous centre-forward with his runs in behind."
