Mikel Arteta can give Eberechi Eze dream start to life at Arsenal with one simple gesture

Arsenal have swooped in under the noses of arch rivals Tottenham to all but secure the signing of Eberechi Eze. And Mikel Arteta can give the Crystal Palace star his dream No.10 shirt at the Emirates.

On Wednesday evening, the Gunners swiftly and seemingly successfully moved for former academy star and boyhood supporter Eze, agreeing to a deal in principle worth roughly £68million. Spurs chief Daniel Levy had thrashed out a deal worth £50m plus £10m in add-ons, while Arsenal will pay £60m and £7.5m in add-ons. Steve Parish’s relationship with Arsenal executive vice-chairman Tim Lewis moved the Gunners to the front of the queue over recent days and the England international chose Arsenal.

Eze wants to play one last time for Palace in their Conference League play-off against Norwegian outfit Fredrikstad on Thursday night before undergoing a medical with Arteta's side, but Oliver Glasner may be forced to pull him from the squad to avoid risking injury. When he does arrive in north London, Arsenal can hand him the perfect welcome gift in the form of his preferred No.10 shirt.

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The 27-year-old attacker had long been courted by Thomas Frank's Tottenham, and a deal that would have seen Eze make this move looked likely. But an injury sustained by Arsenal's Kai Havertz, who now looks set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, saw the Gunners re-enter the race for Eze, who had previously been admired.

Eze and Palace were quickly approached, Arsenal said they would now pay a fee that had been agreed almost two weeks previously, and personal terms weren't a problem. Now, it is highly likely that Eze will don the No.10 when he inevitably arrives at the Emirates, a number he has worn since his time at Queens Park Rangers.

Eze first started wearing the No.10 during QPR's 2018/19 Championship season. He was first given the No. 25 after making a £17m move to Palace in 2020, but after just one year into his tenure, the No. 10 became his.

Arsenal's No.10 shirt is vacant, having last been worn by another English talent, Emile Smith Rowe. Before him, Mesut Ozil was given the honour, and the likes of Robin van Persie and Dennis Bergkamp have also donned the famous number.

Eze will join new recruits Noni Madueke, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cristhian Mosquera, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and striker Viktor Gyokeres in north London, as the Gunners set their sights on the Premier League title.

Head coach Arteta thinks that this top-flight campaign will be the most difficult they've faced, however. They have played second fiddle in each of the last three terms.

"The competition in the league now is like nothing we've seen before," Arteta told Sky Sports. "We all know that to win the Premier League you're going to have to be absolutely excellent. The level that is going to be required is going to be something we haven't experienced yet and we all want to win it.

"The level of the managers, the consistency of the squads that have been together now for years, the way they increased their potential in the squads, the understanding between players, quality they have brought, for sure it's going to be the most difficult.

"We need more points, that's clear," he continued, reflecting on the past three years of disappointment. "We have more points than any other team in the Premier League in the last three seasons and we haven't won the Premier League.

"But that means we've done so many things right. We missed a few points in one of the seasons, and that's what we're going to try to do to be better."

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