Crystal Palace were surprised at the lack of activity in the market about an interest in Eberechi Eze last summer. The playmaker had entered the final two years of his deal at the club, with reports stating there was a release clause of £60 million plus £7 million in his contract, which will be active again this summer.
Fast forward to last Saturday, Eze was instrumental in Crystal Palace winning the FA Cup in the final against Manchester City. The triumph also happened to lead to the club’s first ever major honours in their history, and they will have seen Eze staying at the club as a boon rather than a missed opportunity to cash in.
As we enter the summer transfer window, the likelihood of Eze departing the club after a truly memorable season are massive. The playmaker has contributed to 26 goals across all competition for Crystal Palace, and he will enter the final year of his deal, which makes a sale all the more plausible.
Liverpool are one of those keen, as they could pivot towards the English playmaker as an alternative to the tricky Florian Wirtz situation. Chelsea and Manchester City are also admirers, while Tottenham have had a long-standing interest in Eze, as the North Londoners were one of the few clubs who showed genuine interest in him last summer.
Arsenal were also credited with an interest a while back, and club expert Charles Watts has now urged the Gunners to make a move for Eze in the summer. His comments on Caught Offside showed how highly Watts rates Eze, and feels he could be perfect for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Watts said, “It was absolutely no surprise to me to see Eberechi Eze make the difference on the day (in the FA Cup final). I thought he was superb. And it wasn’t just his goal, it was the way he played the game, especially in the second half. He was so clever with the ball whenever he was in possession.”
“I think he’s a wonderful player, someone who would be perfect for this Arsenal team. I don’t know if the club are seriously considering him as a target this summer. I’ve not been told that they are. But if they are not, then they really should be. You can see that he’s ready to take that next step in his career now. He’s going to move soon, even the most ardent Palace fan will know that is the case.”
Watts certainly has a case here, as Arsenal could be expected to sign a new creative midfielder after a disappointing season for Martin Odegaard. The idea here might see some sections call for a new player to replace the Norwegian international, although Arteta might continue to place trust in the club captain and even bring in an additional creative force.
The idea of signing the Crystal Palace playmaker could be on the lines of adding a new form of creativity to the team as well as bringing a player with goalscoring prowess. Eze has been superb this season and does warrant a big move to a club like Arsenal or Liverpool, and the summer window will answer plenty of questions regarding his future away from Selhurst Park.
