At the start of the summer transfer window, football.london understood that Arsenal were ideally after three attacking signings. So far, sporting director Andrea Berta has completed two of those three.
Viktor Gyokeres has become the club’s new centre-forward, signing from Sporting CP in a €73.5million (£63.4million) deal inclusive of add-ons. Noni Madueke has also arrived, another signing from Chelsea, in a £52million move that certainly has sparked debate and questions among the fan base.
However, the third attacking signing remains an unticked box. There has been a lot of noise surrounding several players who are known to be of interest to Arsenal, but as reported by football.london on Thursday, the situation regarding Ebere Eze has been ever-changing.
The Gunners’ interest in the England international has been very genuine, but it peaked earlier in the window while discussions with Ethan Nwaneri over a new deal were ongoing. There was significant interest in the 18-year-old from England and abroad, and as we have come to learn the way Andrea Berta works, the club was preparing themselves for any eventuality.
Therefore, it seems that interest in Eze has been tied more greatly to Nwaneri than many thought earlier in the window. This is not to say the interest no longer exists, nor is it that it is impossible for Eze to still come to Arsenal, quite the contrary.
However, there remain plenty of obstacles and alternative actions between that deal from happening and where things currently stand. Outgoings are indeed the focus for the club, and it might be that they respond to a particular sale of the likes of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli with that third attacking addition – especially considering Madueke can indeed play on either side.
Nwaneri’s performances in pre-season have impressed. In addition, and it is important to stress this is more so a consciousness than a strong tangible reason, there is an awareness of the pathway for Max Dowman, who, despite still being just 15, has been extraordinarily impressive for a player his age. There is not a club in Europe, not across the youngster’s situation, willing to potentially swoop in should it look like he will leave.
Both Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi-Martin left Arsenal, and while there was certainly a financial component to the switch, there was also, to them, a more obvious pathway into the first team, for Heaven in particular, who explained this in a recent interview.
“The opportunities that the young players have got here [Man Utd] in the past,” he told MUTV. “I think United had the most minutes given to teenagers last season [2023-24].
“That convinced me to come here. And the people and the fans here are quite loving, and I felt that when I was playing. They’re so supportive.”
So while Nwaneri’s new deal certainly was the greater influence on a potential move for Eze for now, Dowman’s pathway is certainly something that is under great consideration at the club. There remain several players beyond the two left wingers whose futures remain uncertain.
Fabio Vieira is in talks over a potential move to Stuttgart, while Fulham are keen on signing Nelson, believed to be a loan move despite Arsenal hoping for a more permanent solution. Karl Hein, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Oleksandr Zinchenko are all players who could also leave, and the club needs to find solutions if they want to reinvest.
While they have spent close to £200million on six summer additions, the only permanent exits have been Nuno Tavares and Marquinhos, who have collectively brought in less than £10million and mainly recouped what the club paid for them not so long ago. football.london is aware Arsenal want to work comfortably within UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations, and therefore, the idea that they can spend tens of millions more without moving on players first, understandably doesn’t add up.
There is a genuine concern, however, that if Arsenal do not add this third attacking signing, then they have not done enough to close that gap to Liverpool, who have signed a bucketload of attacking quality in Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, with the potential of still adding Alexander Isak. There is no doubt Eze would help to do just that; the midfielder is an excellent, quality player.
He would add a lot to Arsenal, and frankly, they need a player like him. But despite the obvious nature of what a signing like Eze would bring, there are many blockades in the way of it becoming a reality at present.
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