By the Numbers: What Eberechi Eze Brings to Arsenal

Arsenal have wasted little time in the transfer market after Kai Havertz suffered a knee injury against Manchester United on the opening weekend, leaving Mikel Arteta without a key attacking option. With several Premier League clubs, including fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur, circling for Eberechi Eze, the Gunners moved swiftly and are favourites to secure the Crystal Palace playmaker’s signature. This piece dives into the data behind Eze’s 2024/25 Premier League season, examining what he can add to Arsenal (if he signs) and how his profile might finally give Arteta the clinical, left-sided threat his squad has been long missing.

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Versatility

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One of Eze’s biggest strengths is his ability to operate both as a number 10 and on the left wing. This flexibility provides valuable cover for Martin Ødegaard, whose high-intensity pressing game will require regular rest and rotation over the course of the season, while also giving Arsenal a more clinical option on the left hand side compared to Gabriel Martinelli or Noni Madueke.

Eze is naturally right-footed but has shown reliability with his weaker side. His miscontrol percentage is identical on both feet at 5%, and his left-foot passing grade of 66.8 in 2024/25 ranked 22nd out of 105 midfielders. Although reluctant at times, having a wide player capable of going onto his weaker foot is particularly useful in a system that already features heavily one-footed attackers in Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard, allowing Arteta to maintain balance across the front line.

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Stylistically, Eze has been one of the most well-rounded creative forces in the league. He led Crystal Palace in 2024/25 for chances created (56), key passes (49) and assists (7 ). He was also Palace’s most productive set-piece threat, creating 21 chances from dead-ball situations.

Within our grading model, Eze posted a 70+ grade across passing, crossing, shooting and ball carrying, underlining the absence of any major weakness in his attacking profile.

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Thriving in Transition

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Eze’s profile also strengthens Arsenal in transitional phases, an area where Arteta’s side has often lacked variety. In 2024/25, 21% of Eze’s total receptions were line-breaking, highlighting how frequently he was used as a progression outlet for Crystal Palace. By comparison, only 14.1% of Leandro Trossard’s receptions were line-breaking, with Gabriel Martinelli at 11% and Bukayo Saka at 9%. While these numbers are influenced by system differences, they underline Eze’s comfort in receiving under pressure and driving his team forward in open spaces.

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Beyond his ball progression, Eze combines high shot volume with genuine efficiency in front of goal. He registered 99 attempts last season, the eighth highest in the Premier League, and 6.1% of those shots were deemed unsavable by the goalkeeper. His overall shooting grade of 80.0 ranked eighth among wide players and attacking midfielders, reinforcing his value as both a transition carrier and a clinical end-product threat.

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In 2024/25, Eze recorded the fourth-highest number of passes leading to a half chance or better among wide attackers and attacking midfielders, with 0.79 per 30 minutes in possession. He also ranked fifth in the percentage of total passes that led to a half chance or better at 2.1%. Eze consistently looks to progress the ball, with 11.2% of his total passes entering a dangerous position. A dangerous position is defined as a pass that finds a teammate in an area with a realistic opportunity to create a chance or one that could disrupt the defence if the movement is different.

When compared to Arsenal’s current options at left wing and central attacking midfield, Eze’s output is similar despite playing for a Crystal Palace side that spends more time out of possession. With Arsenal’s greater attacking volume, these numbers should be expected to rise, particularly as he is tasked with increasing speed in transition and helping to break down low blocks against compact opponents.

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Eberechi Eze will arrive at Arsenal as a player with the technical quality, versatility and statistical output to address several of Mikel Arteta’s current needs. His ability to operate both centrally and wide gives the squad flexibility, while his balanced attacking profile provides a new dimension to a frontline that has sometimes lacked variety. With Arsenal competing on multiple fronts and searching for greater efficiency in the final third, Eze’s influence could prove decisive in lifting the attacking burden from Bukayo Saka and helping Arteta’s side maintain their push for major honours.

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