Mikel Arteta has disclosed that Eberechi Eze contacted him personally on Wednesday to inquire about a potential move to Arsenal, before the club hijacked Tottenham's deal for the Crystal Palace star. 'Yes, that shows you how much he wanted to come,' Arteta said, reflecting on the transfer that saw Arsenal pay £60m plus £7.5m in add-ons for the 26-year-old. Eze, an Arsenal fan as a child and former academy player between ages eight and 13, was presented to the Emirates crowd before Saturday's 5-0 win over Leeds.
However, the victory was marred by injuries to captain Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka. Ødegaard sustained a shoulder injury after a fall, while Saka was forced off with what Arteta described as a 'significant' hamstring problem. 'For Bukayo to come off, for sure it looks like something that is significant,' Arteta said. 'He felt something in his hamstring while he was sprinting. That’s never a good sign.' The timing is particularly concerning with Arsenal set to face Liverpool next Sunday.
Arteta confirmed that Saka's injury is not related to the same hamstring that sidelined him for three months last season, but acknowledged the winger's familiarity with the sensation. 'He knows exactly the feeling of that,' the manager added. Ødegaard will undergo scans on Sunday to assess the extent of his shoulder issue. Injuries aside, the match saw the remarkable debut of 15-year-old midfielder Max Dowman, who came on as a 64th-minute substitute and won the penalty for Viktor Gyökeres's second goal.
'Max has zero hesitation,' Arteta said. 'He’s so convinced that he can go at 15 and deliver that, which I’ve never witnessed in my life.' Dowman's introduction added to an already eventful afternoon for Arsenal, with Jurriën Timber scoring twice and Gyökeres netting his first goals for the club. Eze's arrival, meanwhile, signals a significant attacking boost, with Arteta praising his 'flair' and 'charisma'.
