Photo Credit: Arsenal/Instagram
Fourteen years after being released from Arsenal’s academy in tears, 27-year-old Eberechi Eze is back. This time, he returns as a £60 million signing and one of the Premier League’s most outstanding talents.
For Eze, it’s the ultimate full-circle moment. At 13, he was let go from Arsenal’s youth set-up, an experience that nearly ended his dream. Fast forward to 2025, and the same boyhood fan has returned — now an England international, a Wembley hero, and one of the league’s most exciting attackers.
“I know so many people who got released from one club, got released from Arsenal, and that was it – they stopped playing,” he once said . The fact I am in this position, I can only say ‘God, thank you’ because I could be anywhere doing anything.”
Eze arrives in north London off the back of a standout spell at Crystal Palace, where he became a fan favourite and scored the winning goal in last season’s FA Cup final against Manchester City. Tottenham were close to signing him, but Arsenal swooped in late to get their man. Now, he joins fellow Nigerian Bukayo Saka in Mikel Arteta’s side, a link-up that is already sparking excitement among Arsenal fans.
Off the pitch, Eze is just as interesting. A keen chess player, he once won an online amateur tournament and even played against Richard Branson. For him, the game is about patience, focus, and strategy, qualities that also shine through in his football.
As he begins this new chapter in red and white, here are 5 things you should know about Eberechi Eze:
He grew up playing cage football
Born in Greenwich, south London, Eze learned his craft in tight spaces, the classic “cage football” environment. It was there, dodging cars and dogs on the side, that he sharpened the close control and flair fans love today.
He never gave up after rejection
Eze’s path wasn’t smooth. After Arsenal, he had stints at Fulham, Reading and Millwall, with more rejections along the way. He even considered giving up football to focus on college and part-time work at Tesco, until Queens Park Rangers handed him one last shot.
His big break came at QPR
At QPR, Eze’s talent exploded. By the 2019/20 season, he had 14 goals, 8 assists, and two Player of the Year awards. That form earned him a £17m move to Crystal Palace, where he quickly established himself in the Premier League.
He’s already a Wembley hero
Palace fans will never forget Eze’s goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, the strike that gave the Eagles their first major trophy. For Arsenal, that winning mentality is a big part of the attraction.
He gives back to his community
Alongside football, Eze runs the Eze Foundation with his brothers, organising grassroots tournaments for young players in south London. “Giving back has always been something that’s on our hearts,” he said . “We want to expose them [young people playing in the Invitational] to football and to being at a professional club and not having to pay for anything, no stumbling blocks along the way that are stopping you from playing football, which is normally the case when you’re young or when you’re coming from difficult areas.”
