Eberechi Eze seems to be the perfect piece that Arsenal are lacking. A player dribbles the ball quickly, creatively and can penetrate the most solid defenses. This is the weapon that coach Mikel Arteta craves in his journey to conquer the Premier League and Champions League.
For Eze, the Emirates is not only a professional destination, but also a place where he can heal the scars from his childhood.
"I was 13 when Arsenal sacked me. I remember crying all week. Then, when I faced Arsenal in the Fulham shirt, I shook hands with the academy coach and almost burst into tears. Every emotion flows in" - Eze said in 2020.
This week, Eze seemed to be closer to Tottenham than ever. But if he leaves Selhurst Park, Arsenal will be his most coveted destination. The problem is, where will Arteta put him in a squad that is already packed with creative stars? Tottenham are ready to build a system around Eze in the No. 10 role, while at Arsenal, he will have to find his own path.
Arteta admitted the Gunners' weaknesses last season. That was a lack of purpose and orientation in the opponent's half. And this is the quality Eze can bring. Statistics show that Arsenal's expected goals (xG) total last season was only 60 - ranked 7th in the Premier League, lower than Crystal Palace. In the championship race, this number is not enough.
If the deal comes true, Eze will not only return to where he was rejected, but could also become the key to opening the door to the title that Arsenal have been longing for for the past two decades.
After recruiting Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and now Eze, Arteta has the most diverse firepower in the Premier League.
Arsenal have Gabriel Martinelli's speed and ability to penetrate, Bukayo Saka's ability to dribble smartly in the final third of the field by Gyokeres, Odegaard's passing vision, and Declan Rice's crossing of the penalty area. Meanwhile, Eze is the type of player who can do everything with the ball.
Arteta is likely to start on the left wing - a position he played very successfully for Crystal Palace and the England team. The dynamism of left-back Riccardo Calafiori as a front-upper will open up space for Eze to get into the middle, directly participate in coordinating and making a difference. With Martinelli's inconsistent form over the past year, Eze could well be a viable replacement.
Not only limited to the winger role, Eze - who was once one of two 10 in Oliver Glasner's 3-4-2-1 formation - can also take on the role of attacking midfielder. He is capable of replacing Odegaard when he needs to rotate, or even pair up with the captain in a creative formation with a "sweeping machine" like Rice or Zubimendi behind.
It will be an attack structure capable of penetrating low-block defenses in the Premier League, especially at times when Arsenal have to press for goals.
In general, Eze is the card that can rotate the game situation. He gave Arsenal what they lacked last season - the ability to break the deadlock and turn 14 draws into victories.
In recent two seasons, Arteta has often deployed Rice as an attacking midfielder, leaning towards the left half-space. That poses a difficult problem. If Eze starts from the left wing and then moves in, he is at risk of stepping up to the role that is already optimized for Rice. Conversely, if Eze starts at No. 8, will Rice give up her strongest point?
No matter where he is placed, Arteta will definitely want Eze to have the most possession of the ball in the left wing - the area where he often exhibits the highest efficiency. The problem is not just the formation, but also how the Spanish captain allocates priority.
The most important question is not where Eze plays, but how he is defined - an award-less pillar, always present regardless of who the opponent is, or a strategic card? This is the headache that Arsenal have longed for, and now have the opportunity to solve.
Kai Havertz's knee injury was the reason why Arsenal were determined to sign Eze. This shows that he is seen as a solution to increase the depth of attack rather than a central link to build the team.
But if Eze quickly forms the habit of penetrating tightly organized defenses, which have repeatedly caused Arsenal to be at a dead end, he will become an irreplaceable factor.
And then, 13 years after being left behind by Arsenal, Eze will have the opportunity to prove his worth at the Emirates.
