Arsenal have completed the signing of England international Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace for a fee reported to be worth up to £67.5 million, a move that saw them beat their North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur to the player’s signature.
The deal, which includes a guaranteed £60 million fee plus £7.5 million in add-ons, makes the 27-year-old Arsenal’s seventh major signing of the summer transfer window. Eze, a boyhood Arsenal fan who started his youth career at the club, chose the Gunners after the club made a late bid to hijack a move that had already been agreed to by Tottenham.
Spurs had been in advanced talks with both Crystal Palace and Eze and were on the brink of completing a deal. However, Arsenal reignited their interest in the winger after an injury scare to forward Kai Havertz. The Gunners’ sporting director, Andrea Berta, and manager, Mikel Arteta, moved swiftly to table a formal bid on Wednesday, sensing an opportunity to secure a long-term target while simultaneously frustrating their local rivals.
Eze, who was raised in Greenwich, South-East London, spent four seasons at Crystal Palace after joining them from Queens Park Rangers in 2020. Last season, he had his most productive campaign with the Eagles, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists across all competitions, including the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Upon his return to the club, Eze was greeted with a rapturous reception from supporters before Arsenal’s home match against Leeds United. Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta, praised Eze as a “creative and explosive talent,” while manager Mikel Arteta highlighted his journey and mentality as a perfect fit for the team.
The transfer brings Arsenal’s summer spending to over £200 million as they continue to build a squad aimed at winning their first major trophy in five seasons.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.