Mikel Arteta has refused to comment on Arsenal's imminent signing of Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, but stressed that a player's desire to join the club is the most important factor in any transfer. The Gunners have agreed a fee of £60 million upfront, with a further £7.5 million in add-ons, for the 27-year-old attacking midfielder.
Eze was undergoing his medical on Friday morning and is expected to complete his move over the weekend, according to Standard Sport. However, as the transfer has not been officially announced, he will miss Arsenal's Premier League match against Leeds on Saturday due to the registration deadline.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta said: 'Nothing to comment. I can never talk about any player that is not part of our group yet.' When asked about the importance of a player's attitude, he added: 'That's the number one, that they want to be with us and feel something special to come to us. Then the person, what personality we are going to bring - and then the rest comes.'
Eze, who was previously on Arsenal's books as a youngster and has said he grew up a fan of the club, fits Arteta's criteria. The manager explained: 'The better the feeling, the stronger the feeling then the better always because it brings a different edge, will and emotion to what you do and I think that always brings something extra.'
