Is Eberechi Eze the signing of the season? Arsenal hat-trick heroics boost case but arguments made for three alternatives

Eberechi Eze is the centre of attention after scoring a hat-trick for Arsenal in the north London derby and it has us wondering: is he the signing of the season in the Premier League?

Arsenal hijacked Tottenham’s attempts to sign Eze from Crystal Palace in the summer and if that in itself wasn’t enough to make them smirk, the fact that their new no. 10 scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 demolition of their local rivals certainly had them laughing over the weekend.

Eze chose the perfect time for his first Premier League hat trick, which has put him in the spotlight. But just how highly should the England international be judged?

Now with six goal contributions from 11 league games for Arsenal, our writers debate whether Eze is the signing of the season.

Fraser Fletcher

Eze is a superb signing for Arsenal, his talent was undeniable and he had the opportunity to move to four of the top five clubs in the country. It’s no surprise he is being discussed as the signing of the season and it’s brilliant to see him thriving as off the pitch he is known for being a very good person.

However, City’s acquisition of Donnarumma has to be in the mix, a world class goalkeeper who they could have for 10 years at a nominal fee in terms of the modern market. For me, he is the deal of the season but Eze will go from strength to strength at Arsenal.

Samuel Bannister

The fact that Arsenal signed Eze at the expense of their rivals definitely adds a layer to his story, especially with what he went on to do on Sunday.

For him to be classed as the signing of the season, I believe he needs to score in more games, but the derby hat-trick can be a springboard in that regard.

Eze is on his way to winning his battle for his shirt at Arsenal, who got their recruitment right this summer.

However, the best signing of the season so far could well be a former Arsenal player at a different club, in the shape of Granit Xhaka at Sunderland.

Xhaka was a statement signing for Sunderland after their promotion and it’s hard to overlook his importance to the kind of team they’re becoming.

For contrast, Eze arrived at a high-performing team and is matching the level. Xhaka joined a developing team and is helping them become better.

Harry Watkinson

Arsenal beat Tottenham to Eze’s signature over the summer, and his sensational hat-trick performance in the North London derby showed just how important that was for Mikel Arteta.

£67.5m (including add-ons) for a player of Eze’s quality is not a huge sum in comparison to what other top clubs have spent. The 27-year-old’s contributions are a key reason why the Gunners sit top of the Premier League table right now.

Eze has featured in 10 of Arsenal’s league games so far, starting eight of them, so Arteta has signed a reliable player who can create and score goals. He will be essential to their title charge.

The England star is certainly one of the best signings so far, though I do believe former Arsenal man Granit Xhaka, who has been superb since joining Sunderland, also has a claim for top spot.

Subhankar Mondal

True, Eberechi Eze scored a brilliant hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby, but one swallow does not make a summer. Okay, I am being harsh here and it is probably not the most appropriate idiom because it is winter now, but my point is that just because Eze has just scored three goals in a single match does not make him the signing of the summer.

Sunderland have been the surprise package of the season and Granit Xhaka has been their best player. The impact that the former Arsenal star has made for the Black Cats in the middle of the park is much bigger than Eze’s at the Emirates Stadium. And let’s face it – Eze was always expected to shine for Mikel Arteta’s side anytime.

Eze is not even the signing of the season for Arsenal – it is Martin Zubimendi, who, for me, was the best signing made by any Premier League club in the summer of 2025. There are reports in Spain that Real Madrid regret not signing Zubimendi before he joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2025, and that speaks volumes about the Spain international midfielder.

Zubimendi is very good, with and without the ball. The 26-year-old is quick, works hard and helps team-mates around him look better and helps them play their natural game. What is remarkable is that Zubimendi is very consistent. He is the player who is making Arsenal tick at the moment.

James Holland

Eze has been outstanding for Arsenal, and he wrote himself into the Gunners history books with that hat-trick against Spurs. However, my Premier League signing of the season so far is Granit Xhaka.

Eyebrows were raised when Xhaka returned to the Premier League with Sunderland, leaving a Bayer Leverkusen side he had recently won the Bundesliga title with. But the move has proven to be a masterstroke.

Xhaka has led by example both on and off the pitch, transforming Sunderland’s midfield and helping them get off to an incredible start.

He is Sunderland’s most important player, helping them win back possession, build up from the back and create chances in the final third.

Xhaka tops a host of the Sunderland squad statistics this campaign, including assists, key passes and crosses.

While it is unlikely the Black Cats will be able to qualify for Europe this term, Xhaka’s leadership and quality will ensure they establish themselves as strong competitors in the top flight.

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