Eberechi Eze to Arsenal sparks alarm bell weeks after striking deal – 'I'll have to leave'

Top Arsenal prospect Ethan Nwaneri may end up feeling forced to leave the club. And the suggestion comes just weeks after he penned a new contract at the Emirates Stadium.

It has been a busy summer of outgoings and incomings at Arsenal, who have also tied several existing players down to new deals, including exciting forward Nwaneri. He made history in 2022 when he became the club’s youngest-ever player to appear for the first team at the age of just 15 years and 181 days.

The club announced earlier this month that the now 18-year-old, who has been with the club since the age of eight, had signed a new “long-term contract”. Nwaneri was believed to want assurances over game time before committing his future to the club, and he will of course have been hoping for more first-team opportunities in the new season.

READ MORE: Arsenal miss Eberechi Eze transfer deadline with Gunners now facing frustrating wait

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But Nwaneri – who made 37 appearances across all competitions last season – failed to feature in the opening day 1-0 win at Manchester United. He now faces even stiffer competition for a place in the team from both established players and new arrivals, as Arsenal go in hunt of the Premier League title and other trophies.

Eberechi Eze is now poised to follow striker Viktor Gyokeres, defender Cristhian Mosquera, midfielder Martin Zubimendi, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, midfielder Christian Norgaard and forward Noni Madueke in making the switch to the Emirates this summer.

With the attacking arrivals in mind, former Watford and Birmingham City striker Troy Deeney reckons Nwaneri may need to look for pastures new to continue his development. Deeney told talkSPORT: “If I’m Ethan Nwaneri, I’m 17 years old and I’ve been told I’m going to be playing more and then I don’t play against Manchester United [he was an unused substitute]… as older people, we know that wasn’t really the game for him.

“But as a 17-year-old [you’re thinking], ‘You’ve told me I’m going to be playing, now I’m not playing. You’ve brought an additional winger in, Leandro Trossard’s signed a new deal, now you’re bringing Eze in, who plays exactly in my place, I’m going to have to leave.’

"They are the kind of conflicts that come up. He’s only 17, but he wants to play.”

Meanwhile, Deeney has questioned Arsenal’s pursuit of Eze, who was on the brink of joining Tottenham before the Gunners swept in and agreed a £67.5million deal for the Crystal Palace attacker. Deeney said: “I like the move for the player, [but] I don’t get it, personally.

“If he goes in at Spurs, he can go in as a number 10, which he wants to do. If they still want to put him out on the left, he’s still the best left winger they’d have out there.

“With Arsenal, if he wants to play as a 10, they’ve got to drop [Martin] Odegaard, who’s the captain and Arteta loves him. He hasn’t dropped him even when he wasn’t [in good form].”

Nevertheless, the impending signing of Eze is a statement of intent from Arsenal as they bid to win the Premier League for the first time in 22 years. Mikel Arteta is also looking to end his trophy drought, which stretches back to the 2020 FA Cup.

“We are showing the ambition that we are here to win major trophies and to keep evolving and improving every single year and that comes with demands and those demands are clear,” said Arteta.

“We want to be in front in the league, not just chasing or reacting or being behind, but in front of it and every decision that we make in every area of the club is to achieve that.”

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