Eberechi Eze’s long-term future at Arsenal is under scrutiny as the club continues to assess where the England international fits into Mikel Arteta’s system.
The 28-year-old joined the Gunners in a deal that could eventually be worth close to £70 million, but his second season at the Emirates has begun awkwardly. Arsenal remain unconvinced that he is the long-term answer on the left wing, while opportunities in his preferred central attacking position are limited.
Eberechi Eze’s Arsenal role remains unclear
Martin Odegaard is regarded as Arsenal’s natural No.10, and Arteta has been reluctant to use Eze regularly on the left because the player tends to move inside rather than hold the width.
The difficulty was evident in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. Eze began on the left but was taken off at half-time after struggling to make an impact, with Noni Madueke replacing him and later scoring the winning goal.
That performance has added to the sense that Eze’s path into Arsenal’s starting line-up is becoming more complicated. Frustration is understood to be growing over his current role, with the club still attempting to identify the position in which he can have the greatest influence.
Arsenal urged not to give up on Eze
Despite those concerns, it would be premature for Arsenal to conclude that the signing has failed. Eze has already demonstrated his quality for the club, scoring five goals across two north London derbies against Tottenham last season.
Arsenal have described him as “a natural No.10” and said his arrival provided Arteta with greater tactical flexibility in a 4-2-3-1 formation. That assessment underlines the difference between Eze’s strengths and the demands of a conventional wide role.
His principal difficulty may therefore be one of tactical fit rather than ability. Requiring him to operate as a traditional touchline winger risks limiting the qualities that made him so effective at Crystal Palace.
Arteta must now find a way to incorporate Eze more naturally into the team. If a regular central role cannot be created, the relationship between the player and Arsenal could become increasingly difficult, but the club still have reason to explore every tactical option before considering the future of such a significant investment.
