Eze does it?

Eze Does It? Not So Fast, Arsenal

Just when we thought Arsenal had zipped up the transfer market after landing Viktor Gyokeres, along comes another flashy rumour to get Gooners frothing: Eberechi Eze. Yes, that Eze – the Crystal Palace midfielder who looks like he's always one step away from brilliance, but somehow just never quite gets there.

According to The Independent, with the Gyokeres deal wrapped up even tighter than a cooked Christmas turkey with stuffing, Arsenal are already eyeballing their next move – and it's Eze. Apparently, he's Arteta's top choice and reportedly prefers Arsenal over any other suitor. We've heard that one before, haven't we?

The Gunners are hoping to get him for £60 million rather than the £68m release clause, because what's £8 million between friends when you've already shelled out big money on a striker? The whispers suggest a nice little three-part payment plan is being cooked up: £20m here, £20m there, and a final £20m to Palace's holiday fund.

So, what's holding things up? Well, we might need to sell someone first (hello Reiss Nelson, pack your bags), but it's not a deal-breaker. Apparently, talks haven't even started officially – but everyone's being friendly in the boardroom, which is reassuring… or meaningless.

But here's where the cannon needs loading: is Eze actually what Arsenal need? In this writer's humble but correct opinion – no. He's a tidy player, don't get me wrong. Got flair, dribbles like he's got the ball on a string, and occasionally delivers moments of real magic. But £60 million? That's superstar money. That's "change the course of a season" money. And Eze isn't that guy.

At best, he's a squad option – an impact sub, a late-game twist in the tactical tale. But even then, would you really back him to do more than Trossard, who's arguably more effective, more versatile, and has actually delivered in an Arsenal shirt? Trossard cost about a third of the price and already looks like money well spent.

This feels like another case of Arteta trying to build the perfect jigsaw – but at some point, you have to ask if the box already has all the pieces. Do we really need to splash the cash on a luxury piece when the basics are already covered?

Eze might be smooth, but this move feels anything but.

Verdict: Overpriced, unnecessary, and unlikely to be the difference-maker. If this is the final piece of the puzzle, then maybe we're working on the wrong puzzle.