Eberechi Eze is returning to Arsenal where his professional journey began - but this time as a £67.5 million signing rather than a heartbroken 13-year-old facing rejection. The Crystal Palace winger is scheduled for his medical today and will become the newest Gunner after Arsenal hijacked Tottenham's move for the England international.
The deal includes £60 million upfront plus £7.5 million in add-ons, with Arsenal overtaking their north London rivals in the transfer race. Eze's move represents a remarkable full-circle moment for a player who once considered abandoning football altogether.
Childhood tears to triumph
Eze joined Arsenal's academy at eight but was released at 13, an experience that left lasting emotional scars. "I remember crying in my room for a solid week, my mum telling me that it's going to be OK but not being able to get over it," he revealed.
The rejection haunted him even months later when playing against Arsenal for Fulham. "When I went over to shake the academy manager's hand, I started welling up. All the feelings came back," Eze explained.
His journey through multiple clubs - Fulham, Reading, and a difficult spell at Millwall - nearly ended his career completely. At 18, he was preparing for a part-time job at Tesco and considering college courses before QPR offered him a lifeline.
Transformation and triumph
Former teammate Joel Lynch witnessed Eze's transformation at QPR, describing how he became "a different animal" after returning from loan. The winger made over 100 Championship appearances before earning his £17 million move to Crystal Palace in 2020.
At Palace, Eze flourished into an England regular and led the Eagles to their first major trophy - scoring the only goal in May's FA Cup final victory over Manchester City. His 40 goals in 169 appearances established him as one of the Premier League's most creative forces.
Title predictions and tactical impact
Paul Merson believes Eze could be the missing piece in Arsenal's title puzzle. According to the Mirror, Merson predicts "Arsenal win the league with Eze" and suggests the winger can solve their problems against defensive teams.
Oliver Glasner confirmed Eze will never play for Crystal Palace again, telling GB News the departure was "no surprise". The tight timeline means Eze could potentially make his Arsenal debut this weekend if the medical proceeds smoothly.
Full-circle return
As a child in south London, Eze idolised Thierry Henry and Arsène Wenger's Arsenal during their most successful era. Now he returns as a key component in Mikel Arteta's revolution, hoping to help deliver Arsenal's first Premier League title since those heady days.
This time, his association with the Gunners will hopefully end in silverware rather than tears.
Sources used: "The Independent", "Daily Star", "Mirror", "Standard", "GB News" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
