Eberechi Eze is no transfer flop: Arsenal’s €69m man delivering a quietly elite season

Eberechi Eze may not have hit the headlines with his goal output since arriving at Arsenal from Crystal Palace last summer, but he is far from the €69 million flop that some critics would claim.

In a summer of big spending at the Emirates Stadium, Eze was the second-most expensive arrival as Arsenal were reshaped into a team that Arteta has well placed to win the Premier League.

With five goals and five assists across all competitions, the 27-year-old has not had the type of explosive impact that Arsenal might have wished, but he is quietly performing a crucial role for his boyhood club.

Eze has faced down criticism in recent times. Following the 1-1 draw against Brentford, he was branded “atrocious” by Gooners on social media.

Deployed from the start against Wigan in the FA Cup last weekend, he bounced back impressively. Given a deep role in the midfield, Eze supplied a couple of assists in a one-sided victory.

Eberechi Eze providing quality over quantity at Arsenal

His overall level of performance, though, has been strong, according to data analytics firm SciSports.

The experts place Eze sixth in the Premier League when analysing his performance as an attacking midfielder. This is done using hundreds of in-game data points, weighting them relative to the role the player is in and comparing them to others in the league. In this case, Eze stands above Cole Palmer, Bryan Mbeumo and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Deployed deeper, Eze’s performance level goes up again. Only Brighton’s Pascal Gross is performing to a higher standard.

Eberechi Eze vs Premier League attacking midfielders: Overall performance (2025/26)

Eberechi Eze vs Premier League central/defensive midfielders: Overall performance (2025/26)

In this area, Eze’s ball retention has been particularly elite, with his passing strong. Perhaps more surprisingly, the defensive qualities in his game have shone. His defensive positioning has been among the best in the league while his transition forcing – the ability to cause a turnover and start a counterattack – has been the best in the league.

Some context, however, is required. SciSports indicates their models work best after 900 minutes in a particular role. Eze has only played 574 as an attacking midfielder and 464 as a central player. This is, therefore, not a hard-and-fast judgement but rather an indicator of where he stands. And the signs are promising.

The raw statistics back this up: 2.4 successful dribbles per 90, 2.04 progressive runs per 90 and 1.19 key passes per 90 show his ball progression and threat in transition remain elite, even without eye-catching goal figures.

A high-class squad player

Eze has been burdened by the expectation generated by his price tag. As Arsenal’s fifth most expensive player ever, this was inevitable. Arteta’s decision to use him as a luxury squad player has only provided ammunition for those determined to label him as a flop. But it’s a smart move by the manager – and one that elite bosses will find themselves taking as transfer values inflate.

Eze may have arrived with a big price tag, but given the quality and depth of the Arsenal squad, such players are not necessarily starters. This is particularly the case for players who arrive in their peak years.

And SciSports backs that up. It indicates that Eze is a high-quality rotation player for the Gunners.

Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz are both seen as better options in an attacking midfield role, the Norway star’s recent slump and the injury problems of the German notwithstanding.

Deeper in midfield, meanwhile, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi are rated more highly, while Mikel Merino is a more natural operator in this zone, albeit with a marginally lower rating than Eze.

A key factor

There have been exit rumours swirling around Eze for several weeks as he has not made the impact that outsiders thought he might, but Arsenal are not planning for his exit, Football Insider has reported.

This is a logical stance. Eze, after all, is fulfilling a key rotation role in the Arsenal squad, performing to a high level when called upon and providing the type of depth the team needs to compete for both the Premier League and Champions League.

Eze might only have started six of Arsenal’s last 11 games, but he is far from a €70m passenger. Indeed, he is providing exactly what Arteta needs for a title-winning squad.