Not Dowman: Arsenal are brewing their homegrown Eze in “phenomenal” gem
da bet sport： It’s been a couple of weeks since the transfer window closed, and it’s hard to remember a better summer for Arsenal.
da roleta： Mikel Arteta got practically everything he could have wanted, from a prolific number nine, to a new highly sought-after six, a backup for Saka and one of the most exciting young defenders in world football.
Moreover, with the signing of Eberechi Eze, he got someone who can replace Gabriel Martinelli out on the left or start as the team’s out-and-out ten.
It’s not even a problem that he’s closer to 30 than some would like, as Arsenal also look to be brewing their own homegrown version of the Englishman, and no, we aren’t talking about Max Dowman.
Why Eze could be a game-changer for Arsenal
Even though Viktor Gyokeres was far more prolific and Martin Zubimendi reportedly caught the attention of Real Madrid, Eze feels like Arsenal’s most important signing this summer.
Even discounting the narrative of his returning home and the story of his choosing the Gunners over Tottenham Hotspur, there are a few reasons why we think his move could be the most consequential.
Firstly, unlike some of the other new faces, the Greenwich-born maestro is already Premier League-proven.
Including the games against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest this year, he has made 149 appearances in the competition, during which he has scored 34 goals and provided 24 assists.
Secondly, the 27-year-old “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, has proven himself capable of taking high-pressure games by the scruff of the neck and dragging his team over the finishing line.
For example, he scored in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of the FA Cup as Palace won their first significant honour last season.
Finally, as we’ve already mentioned, his versatility means he can play out on the left or in the ten depending on what the team need, or which other players are out of form.
However, Arteta has to be careful not to play him out wide too often, as while the former QPR gem can play there, it’s clearly not his preferred position.
We can see this in his heatmaps from last season, when he clearly moves towards the middle the further up the pitch he gets.
Eze’s positional versatility
Attacking Midfield
144
35
21
Left Winger
53
10
8
Central Midfield
43
9
3
Left Midfield
32
8
5
Right Winger
11
3
1
Right Midfield
4
0
0
Centre-Forward
2
0
0
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Moreover, the vast majority of his goal involvements have come when he is playing in attacking midfield, 56 to be exact.
In all, Eze looks like he’ll be an incredible addition to this Arsenal squad, and in even better news, it looks like the club are already brewing their own version.
Arsenal's homegrown Eze
Now, given the way pre-season went, and the way he’s started the season prorper, some may assume that the player in question is the sensationally talented Max Dowman.
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However, that’s not the case, as while he could well develop into an Eze-esque star for Arsenal, he is still just 15 years old, and we haven’t really seen enough of him to determine something like that.
Instead, when it comes to the Gunners’ homegrown version of the former Palace star, we are talking about none other than Ethan Nwaneri.
There are a few reasons for this, and the first is where he plays.
Like his older teammate, the Hale Ender is someone who can play in a number of roles – with Arteta even claiming he could play up top last season – but he seems to have two he’s most comfortable with, which are right-wing and attacking midfield.
Moreover, while he can play out wide, as he did for much of last year, he spent most of his time in the academy playing as a ten, and he’s even told the press that it’s his preferred role.
The second similarity is that the “phenomenal” talent, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, has already proven himself to be a significant goal threat, as well as someone who can create.
Nwaneri in 24/25
Appearances
37
Minutes
1378′
Goals
9
Assists
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.29
Minutes per Goal Involvement
125.27′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, in 37 appearances, totalling just 1378 minutes, the Enfield-born dynamo scored nine goals and provided two assists, which comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or every 125.27 minutes.
Finally, like the 27-year-old, the Gunners’ next big thing is an entertainer on the pitch.
He’s not afraid to try something audacious with the ball at his feet, and according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90, and that dribbling past an opponent is always one way to get the fans on their feet.
Ultimately, Eze could well be the difference for Arsenal this season, but Nwaneri could end up being just as, if not more, important in a few years.