‘Explosive talent,’ Eze joins Arsenal from Crystal Palace

Arsenal have completed the signing of England forward Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.

The Gunners agreed a deal worth £60m, including £8m in add-ons, for the 27-year-old to become their seventh summer signing.

Eze had been one of Tottenham’s prime targets this summer, and Spurs had agreed terms with both Palace and Eze.

But Spurs’ north London rivals then made a move for Eze on Wednesday, and the boyhood Arsenal fan chose to rejoin the Gunners, having started his youth career with the club.

Eze, who will wear the number 10 shirt, was introduced to the supporters before Saturday’s Premier League match against Leeds United.

Sporting director Andrea Berta described Eze as a “creative and explosive talent with huge technical quality”.

Mikel Arteta said: “He is a powerful and exciting player who will give us a new dimension in our attacking game. What stands out just as much as his talent and intelligence as a player is the way he has worked hard throughout his career to get where he is today.

“His journey, his mentality, and his ambition are exactly what we want in our team, and we love how much it means to him and his family to be joining our club.”

Eze, who was raised in Greenwich, south-east London, began his senior career with QPR after leaving Arsenal, before making a £19.5m move to Palace in 2020.

In June 2023 he earned his first England cap and five months later he signed a contract extension with Palace to 2027.

Eze scored 40 goals in 169 games for Palace and claimed 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, including the only goal in the FA Cup final.

He started the Eagles’ Premier League opener at Chelsea last week but missed Thursday’s Europa Conference play-off as he was unwell.

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