Arsenal have officially unveiled England international Eberechi Eze following his £60m move from Crystal Palace.
The 27-year-old, who will wear the No.10 shirt, was introduced to supporters at the Emirates Stadium before Saturday’s Premier League clash against Leeds. Wearing an Arsenal shirt and jeans, Eze received a loud ovation as he walked onto the pitch to greet the fans.
Arsenal agreed a deal worth £60m plus £8m in add-ons, beating Tottenham to the signing of the midfielder. Spurs had already reached terms with Palace and the player, but Eze – a boyhood Arsenal fan who spent part of his youth career at the club – chose the Gunners.
Sporting director Andrea Berta hailed Eze as a “creative and explosive talent with huge technical quality,” while manager Mikel Arteta praised his work ethic and mentality.
Arteta said:
“He is a powerful and exciting player who will give us a new dimension in our attacking game. 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.”
Eze, raised in Greenwich, began his senior career at QPR before joining Palace in 2020 for £19.5m. He went on to score 40 goals in 169 appearances, including the winner in last season’s FA Cup final.
He earned his first England cap in June 2023 and signed a contract extension with Palace later that year, before Arsenal moved to secure his signature this summer.
In an emotional farewell, Eze thanked Crystal Palace and their supporters, calling his time at Selhurst Park “a love shared that will last a lifetime.”
“From the day you gave me the chance to play in the Premier League, through the challenges of Covid, my Achilles injury and my comeback, the love you’ve shown me will live in my heart forever,” he wrote.
