Eberechi Eze stepped down from his Palace, but not from his throne as one of the best players across all English domestic competitions in the last three years, because an environment like Arsenal, which he is no stranger to, will only elevate his worth.

At Palace, he arrived as a youngster looking to take his game to the top. He started brightly but was soon relegated to the depths of the chain. After several rejections intended to conquer his belief, he turned them into strengths.

From being released by Arsenal for ‘not being good enough’ to returning as one of their best players before even touching a ball, Eberechi Eze’s story has been written, but he had quite a task in bringing it to reality.

Eberechi Eze | A Crystal Palace All-Timer?

Did you know? Eze means King.

England international Eberechi Eze led the most successful era in the 120-year history of Crystal Palace as a king, showing his class both on and off the pitch until the very last minutes of his five-year stint.

He became one of the faces of the club early on, and later its face outright, leading them to Emirates FA Cup glory last season by scoring in every round from the quarter-final onwards.

In his final three seasons at the club, the former QPR attacker was directly involved in 57 goals, at least ten more than any other player in that period.

Although he was never crowned Palace’s Player of the Season, those at Selhurst Park know he was their best player over the years. Leading them to their only two pieces of silverware would have many placing him among their all-timers.

Eze scored a total of 40 goals for The Eagles, a feat only seven players have achieved in the club’s history. Of those, only Jean-Philippe Mateta was part of the side that won the FA Cup and Community Shield double.

Only Wilfried Zaha (54) had more assists than his 29 for Crystal Palace, and many of the club’s faithful will argue he is one of the top three most gifted players they’ve ever had, alongside the Ivorian and Attilio Lombardo.

Elite Professional Conduct Befitting of A King

In an era where players go to war, not with their clubs but against them over contracts and transfers, Eberechi Eze remained faithful to Crystal Palace until the very end.

He never fought over the chance to move away, nor did he show signs of wanting to leave, even as Tottenham Hotspur worked keenly on his transfer.

He joined the preseason, played in the Community Shield, and featured in their season opener at Chelsea before his move to Arsenal finally became public on Wednesday.

Though he missed their first-ever European game against Norwegian side Fredrikstad, the fans showed overwhelming love and appreciation for his five years of service in the borough of Croydon.

How Much Did Arsenal Pay for Eberechi Eze?

Five years after joining Palace in a £17 million move from Championship side Queens Park Rangers, where he reignited his career, Eze departs for a £50.5 million profit.

His Arsenal move was worth £67.5 million, around the range of his release clause, which expired two weeks before the start of the season. A five-year contract signed until 2030.

Eberechi Eze and Arsenal | A Long Love Story

The move to Arsenal is a dream come true for the England international, who has never hidden his love for the club that released him from their academy in 2011.

On his Emirates unveiling, an emotional Eze kissed the badge, pointed to it, and then to the skies in gratitude. As he said, what he felt was deeper than anyone could understand.

After completing his Arsenal return, Eberechi Eze said:

“I remember the day I got released, my mum said a prayer. She prayed this reversal would one day happen. For me, this is the realisation of a prayer we prayed 20-odd years ago. This is deeper than anyone can understand. I know it’s meant to be.”

Eze has consistently mentioned in interviews that he has dreamed of returning to Arsenal, and according to a reliable source, he jumped for joy when he received the call on Wednesday stating that Arsenal wanted to sign him.

In another interview after signing, the 27-year-old admitted he had been “on trial at Arsenal” for years, treating every game against them as an audition for Mikel Arteta.

“I’ve been on trial for four years, if I’m being honest,” he said. “Every time I came to Arsenal, I looked at the seat I used to sit in with my brothers, and I said every single time: ‘this is it — this is an opportunity.’ I’m not going to say I knew it was going to happen, but that’s the feeling.”

Though he was close to joining Tottenham Hotspur, Eze reportedly always waited for Arsenal. After hearing of their interest earlier in the summer, he delayed Spurs’ move while giving Arsenal a final chance. Arteta confirmed after a Wednesday board meeting that the deal with Palace was done.

His presentation at Arsenal on Saturday was unprecedented — a new signing unveiled on a matchday. But Eze isn’t just any new signing; he is one of their own, making a return to the club he cherishes.

The way he celebrated the goals made it seem as if he knew the camera was fixed on him. It could have been called exaggeration, but his love for the club is an open secret. Even Spurs fans won’t be too bitter about missing out, not when it’s to a man who was always an unyielding Arsenal fan.

Why Arsenal Wanted Eberechi Eze?

Eze is a level-raiser, one who could walk into any Premier League side. A move was discussed earlier in the summer but seemed to fade as Arsenal shifted focus to other priorities.

However, Kai Havertz’s injury forced the issue. Arsenal revisited their interest in a player who had effectively stalled a move to Spurs, waiting for his chance to return to the Emirates.

Eze is not a direct replacement for Havertz but solves several problems, offering creativity in midfield and versatility on the left. Combined with Viktor Gyökeres, Arsenal’s attack will be far deadlier in transition.

His arrival also allows Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard to move centrally, relieving Gyökeres of some of the goal-scoring burden, as both have struggled for consistency on the left.

Fear Factor and Big-Game Pedigree

Eze adds an extra fear factor to Arsenal’s attack. Opponents routinely double up on Bukayo Saka, knowing Arsenal’s fullbacks are more defensive-minded. With Eze on the opposite flank or central, it will be far harder to contain both threats, especially with Gyökeres leading the line.

Against the Premier League’s “Big Six,” only Manchester United has kept him from scoring a goal, yet that is the fixture where he has the most wins (five wins, three losses, three draws).

He has four direct involvements against Spurs, three against City, two each against Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea.

He has also produced key numbers against Arsenal’s more recent bogey teams: eight against Aston Villa, one against Newcastle United, and three against Everton.

For Eze, it’s not only about numbers but impact. At Arsenal, both his numbers and influence are expected to grow, directly benefiting the team’s cause.

Time to Live a Dream Come True

The years of auditioning are over. Eze, who scored just once in several impressive displays against Arsenal, now finally has the chance to live his dream by playing for the club.

His debut could come this weekend at Anfield, where he has not lost in his last two visits and even scored the winner for Crystal Palace, ending Liverpool’s 28-game unbeaten Premier League run at Anfield in April 2024.

With Bukayo Saka sidelined by a hamstring injury and Martin Ødegaard also absent, Eze may well start at a ground where Arsenal have not won in almost 13 years.

The responsibility he has always wanted, to defend The Arsenal, is now here. With the Gunners seeking their first league title in over two decades, fans will look to him to add to the collective effort to finally make their long-term dream come true.

He has proven himself a King at Crystal Palace, and now in a more ambitious environment, one he has always fought to play in, he can help achieve even greater, but for that to also become reality, he has to deliver, at the very top, and become one of the different makers at Arsenal.