True Gunner and transfer that was meant to be

Although born in Greenwich in south-east London, Arsenal have always had a special place in Eberechi Eze's heart. After all, as a young kid, he had a chance to make his first football steps in any club from the English capital, but he chose the Emirates side.

He joined Arsenal in 2006, at the age of 8, but met the dark side of the sport he adored just five years later. In 2011, the 13-year-old Eze was released from his beloved club - something he thought he'd never forget.

"That was the worst one. I remember crying in my room for a solid week, my mum telling me that it's going to be OK but not being able to get over it."

"Then I went to Fulham and I was finally starting to enjoy my football again. We played Arsenal a few months later but, when I went over to shake the academy manager's hand, I started welling up. All the feelings came back," he told The Independent in 2020, as reported by talkSPORT.

The Cottagers did give a shelter to Eze and helped him overcome the disappointment with Arsenal, football, and life, but his youth career didn't end there, as he played for Reading and Millwall before turning pro at Queens Park Rangers.

Eze with QPR in 2018 (©Jack Thomas/Getty Images)

After four years with QPR - one of which he spent on loan at Wycombe Wanderers - he joined Crystal Palace and the rest is history. Over the years, alongside Wilfried Zaha, Michael Olise, and Jean-Philippe Mateta, the 27-year-old helped the Eagles become a regular mid-table team, formed one of the most talented offensive lines in the Premier League, and in the end brought them the maiden trophy in the club's history, scoring a winner against Man City in the FA Cup final.

Even before, but especially after that moment, it was clear that Eze was ready for a new challenge on the biggest stage.

He's always wanted Arsenal, but the Gunners remained mute. On the other hand, Tottenham put him on the shortlist after James Maddison tore his ACL over 20 days ago.

At one point, the transfer seemed inevitable. An Arsenal child at Tottenham? Not something that happens often, but many players wore jerseys of both North London clubs.

Boy is grown and he’s back to bring the title to North London!

Still, what Spurs didn't know was that Eze was just waiting for a wink, a hint, a call from Emirates, to change his mind and return home.

Back in 2017, when he was in the Championship with QPR, Arsenal had then-Monaco's player Thomas Lemar on their radar and the Gunners were reportedly willing to splurge €92 million for the Frenchman. Eze couldn't hide his shock and made a comment on social media. A comment that Arsenal fans prodly share all over the internet these days.

Anyway, two weeks after Maddison, Kai Havertz suffered a - at first glance - severe knee injury and the Gunners needed an urgent replacement.

Whether the German's situation affected and accelerated Eze's move to North London is vague, but still, someone at Emirates called his number. And that was all that the forward needed, that was everything he'd been waiting for 12 years, ever since that horrible day in 2011.

Tottenham had been working on Eze's transfer for weeks, and then Arsenal appeared and sealed the deal in a few hours, hijacking it. But can that be called a hijack if a player's heart wanted it more than anything?

Mikel Arteta recently revealed that Eze even phoned him when he was on the brink of joining Tottenham, having only one question: Is there a chance?

"That shows you how much he wanted to come," the Spaniard said via Daily Mail.

And he couldn't be more right. If you saw Eze's face once he stepped on the Emirates grass wearing Arsenal's #10 ahead of the Gunners' clash against Leeds, you could see pure joy. And while the packed stadium applauded him, Eze waved with a boyish smile, probably remembering that day from 12 years ago.

He thought he'd never forget it, but now... He can't be so sure. That day from 2013 has now become August 23, 2025 - the date that will forever be etched in Eze's memory. At the same time, it will be a reminder that dreams do come true, that one fall doesn't mean a defeat, and that this transfer - sorry, Tottenham - was just meant to be.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 2

Friday

West Ham - Chelsea 1-5 (1-3)

/Paqueta 6 - Pedro 15, Neto 23, Fernandez 34, Caicedo 54, Chalobah 58/

Saturday

Man.City - Tottenham 0-2 (0-2)

/Johnson 35, Palhinha 45+2/

Bournemouth - Wolverhampton 1-0 (1-0)

/Tavernier 4/

Brentford - Aston Villa 1-0 (1-0)

/Outtara 13/

Burnley - Sunderland 2-0 (0-0)

/Cullen 47, Anthony 88/

Arsenal - Leeds 5-0 (2-0)

/Timber 34, 56, Saka 45+1, Gyokeres 48, 90+5 pen/

Sunday

Crystal Palace - Nott.Forest 1-1 (1-0)

/Sarr 37 - Hudson-Odoi 57/

Everton - Brighton 2-0 (1-0)

/Ndiaye 23, Garner 52/

Fulham - Man.Utd. 1-1 (0-0)

/Smith-Rowe 73 - Muniz 58 og/

Monday

22.00: (3.40) Newcastle (3.50) Liverpool (2.10)

***odds are subject to change***