Arsenal have officially announced the arrival of Eberechi Eze after signing him from under the noses of Tottenham Hotspur.
For a while, it looked like Tottenham were closing in on Eberechi Eze, to the point that Spurs fans were rubbing it in to their Arsenal counterparts.
However, the Gunners fans had the last laugh, as Arsenal wrapped up a deal for Eze in a matter of hours after Tottenham had been in talks over him for weeks.
The Athletic has now published an in-depth feature article which reveals how Eze genuinely felt about the prospect of joining Spurs.
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Eberechi Eze stalled on Tottenham move until he knew where Arsenal stood
It is common knowledge that Eze was a boyhood Arsenal fan and retains a soft spot for the club.
However, when it comes to the professional game, there have been many cases of boyhood fans of one team turning out for one of their big rivals.
According to the outlet, Eze was ‘happy to sign for Spurs’ – but this was only ‘from a professional perspective’.
Indeed, Eze was reluctant to sign off on a move to Tottenham because he ‘needed to know if there was any chance of making a deal with Arsenal happen’.
And when Arsenal duly rekindled their interest, Eze was left ‘ecstatic’ over the outcome, which would see him realise a childhood dream.
Arteta will not only be pleased with the fact that Eze wanted Arsenal first and foremost, but also that he would have been professional had Spurs been the only option.
What Mikel Arteta loves about Eberechi Eze
Arteta is a manager known for his high standards all across the board, with players needing to show the right attitude and work rate as well as boasting the right talent.
Needless to say, Eze ticks all of Arteta’s boxes, judging by what the Arsenal manager said about the England international.
Arteta told the Arsenal media team: “We are absolutely delighted to bring Eberechi to Arsenal.
“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.
“We all look forward to starting working with Eberechi soon.”
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