Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Eberechi Eze personally called him to engineer a move to the Emirates, snubbing Tottenham Hotspur in the process. The England international's dramatic U-turn was the story of the week, as he looked set to join Arsenal's north London rivals after Crystal Palace agreed a £60 million fee with Spurs.
Arteta, speaking after Arsenal's 5-0 thrashing of Leeds, backed up claims that Eze was the driving force behind the transfer. When asked about the rumours that Eze phoned him, Arteta replied: "That shows you how much he wanted to come. It's very different sometimes because you want to be very open and transparent with the players as they have to make decisions in their careers, but I'm delighted to have him. I can tell how much it means to him and his whole family."
Eze, a boyhood Arsenal fan, had agreed personal terms with Tottenham but switched allegiance at the last minute. Spurs had pinned their hopes on the playmaker after James Maddison suffered a long-term injury, leaving them without a recognised No. 10. They will now shift their focus elsewhere.
Eze broke his silence on the move with a heartfelt message to Crystal Palace fans, thanking them for helping him realise his dream of playing in the Premier League. He wrote: "Five years, man. Crazy. It feels like just yesterday I was walking through the doors joining from QPR. The day you gave me the chance to realise my dream of playing in the Premier League, for South London's biggest club... Words aren't enough to describe what we all experienced that day."
Eze's first opportunity to play for Arsenal will come in a massive match as they travel to title rivals Liverpool next Sunday.
