Why Arsenal should sign Eberechi Eze this summer as £60m transfer option arises

Another attacking midfielder might not be on the list of areas Arsenal need to target this summer, but Mikel Arteta would do no wrong by seeing if he can work up a potential move for Eberechi Eze.

The Crystal Palace midfielder enjoyed a phenomenal second-half of the 2023/24 season, ending the Premier League campaign on 11 goals and four assists in 27 matches. That included scoring five and setting up two strikes in his final six appearances - a run of form that has helped him cement his place in the England squad for Euro 2024.

Only five players - including team-mate Michael Olise - posted a better average rating than Eze (7.45) over the course of the season, according to WhoScored.com. Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, Chelsea's Cole Palmer and City duo Phil Foden and Rodri were the others above Eze on that list.

Alongside his end product, Eze is an elite ball dribbler and can often create a chance out of nothing. In fact, Eze - behind Mohammed Kudus and Jeremy Doku - has amounted the third most successful dribbles per-match out of any player who has played more than ten Premier League matches (2.6).

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Eze averages two key passes per-game, which ranks him 13th in the top-flight and ahead of the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Bruno Guimaraes - both of whom have been linked with a move to Arsenal. He accumulated a 83.3 per cent pass success rate and had 3.1 shots per-game.

When fit, there is not many in his position better than him in the Premier League. That is a bold statement but Eze has proven over the past couple of years that he could easily play for one of the Big Six teams in the division, if not those that are challenging for the title on a yearly basis.

Although Arsenal are set to prioritise signing a new centre forward this summer, a move instead, or as well as, for Eze would be a very smart one. It has been reported that the 25-year-old has a minimum £60million release clause in his contract, and considering the current inflated market, that is a bargain for someone of his calibre.

With Fabio Viera out of form, Martin Odegaard is the only ready-made No.10 in the Arsenal squad right now. But if the Norwegian is not available or not at his best, the Gunners often lack creativity in attack. With that in mind, Eze could be just what Arsenal need to boost the squad and become an option for the starting XI.

As well as in the attacking midfield berth, Eze is capable of playing both on the left and right wing. That would be much-needed versatility, especially if Bukayo Saka is out or he is needed on the left, with both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli inconsistent over the course of the season.

Arsenal are going to need more depth and quality if they want to challenge Manchester City and win the Premier League title next season. Eze, who scored against Liverpool back in April, has experienced of scoring against the best teams and the Gunners might need some of that to get over the line in 2024/25.

Mikel Arteta's side missed out on winning the Premier League title on the final day, finishing two points behind champions City. It could be argued that the Gunners are possibly two more top-class players away from winning the title, and Eze should be one of those signed in the summer transfer window.

Eze, who impressed while starting for England against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday, has been named in Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad for the European Championships this summer. His performances for the Three Lions could boost his price a little more than the £60m if there are more interested parties, too.

If his value rises to more like £80m, that should not put the Gunners off either. They would be getting a player ready now and for the future, with Eze not 26 until the end of the month.