Mikel Arteta drops huge Eberechi Eze to Arsenal transfer timeline hint

Mikel Arteta refused to offer much of an insight into Arsenal's advancing transfer for Eberechi Eze but did drop a subtle hint that it is close to being complete. The Crystal Palace attacker is understood to have finalised a medical with the Gunners on Friday morning.

That did not mean Arteta was willing to open up on his prospective signing, though. "Nothing to comment you know I can never talk about a player that's not part of our group or club yet," he said at a press conference.

Smiling away as he was pushed on Eze's imminent arrival, Arteta did not budge when asked about the fact that both Palace manager, Oliver Glasner, and chairman, Steve Parish, had said their goodbyes to Eze on live TV the night before. However, he did appear to admit that something was coming by saying Eze was not an Arsenal player 'yet.'

In order to be registered to face Leeds United on Saturday evening, Eze had to be confirmed as an Arsenal by 12pm on Friday, just 90 minutes before Arteta's press conference. He had been expected to feature in the first leg play-off tie at Selhurst Park against Norwegian outfit Fredrikstad, but did not play after concerns from Arsenal over risking an injury.

A frustrated Glasner claimed that Eze had pulled out on the morning of the game due to “feeling unwell." He added that “I’m responsible for Crystal Palace and I think he won’t play for us again."

An agreement for a transfer was reached on Wednesday, following Kai Havertz's injury, which will see him ruled out for an unspecified period of time. Arsenal hijacked Tottenham's attempts to buy the 27-year-old.

Spurs had reached an agreement with Palace to get Eze for around £68million but Arsenal stepped up their interest in the player for a second time this summer and raced ahead to get a deal over the line. Eze was a boyhood Arsenal fan and trained in the academy during his time as a youth player.

The move will see Eze competing with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard for a spot on the left-wing. Eze can also cover centrally for Martin Odegaard.

He is an England international and has played the majority of the past few years as a floating No.10 between the left side and half-spaces in advanced areas. He scored eight times and assisted another eight in 34 Premier League appearances for Palace last season.

Eze was crucial to their surprise FA Cup victory in May, scoring in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final. He got his first goal for England in March during a 3-0 win over Latvia in a World Cup qualifier and is fighting for a place in Thomas Tuchel's squad for the major tournament in America next summer.

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