The brilliant new-look Arsenal attack with Eberechi Eze and where £67.5m signing will fit in

Arsenal fought off competition from Tottenham to sign Eberechi Eze in a deal worth up to £67.5million – but how will he fit into their team?

Eze established himself as one of the most exciting players in the Premier League during his five years at Crystal Palace and also showcased his impressive versatility.

“He can play different positions,” Mikel Arteta said. “We know he can play as an attacking midfielder, right or left. He doesn’t care. He plays shifted off the left as well. He’s very comfortable there as well.

“We’ll gather information again the moment he’s on that pitch and starts to link and feel connection with people. I’m sure we will find the right place for him.”

We’ve taken a look at four different ways Arsenal could line up in 2025/26 with Eze in the team.

Arsenal with Eze on left-wing

Left wing has been a problem position for Arsenal in the 12 months, with both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard struggling with form and fitness issues.

The Gunners have arguably become overreliant on Bukayo Saka as a large proportion of their attacks come from the right-hand side.

Noni Madueke arrived from Chelsea in a £52million deal this summer and started at left wing against Leeds United, although he also prefers to play on the right.

Eze was used as the left-sided No.10 for Palace last season in Oliver Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 formation and has predominantly played as a winger for England.

The 27-year-old is not your typical touchline-hugging winger and has a natural tendency to drift inside from the left, but his impressive dribbling and ball-carrying ability make him a good fit for the role.

“He’s going to compete with Martinelli,” former Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn said. “All the players we’re being linked with suggest they want to strengthen on the left side.

‘That’s where they’re feeling at the moment where the competition isn’t as strong as it should be. They can move players around, of course they can, but I would say he’ll come in and play on the left side.”

Saka has nailed down the right wing spot, while summer signing Viktor Gyokeres is expected to spearhead the attack in 2025/26.

Arsenal with Eze in the No.10

Eze will wear the iconic number 10 shirt at the Emirates, and the no.10 role is arguably the position he’s at his most effective in.

Martin Odegaard currently occupies that role at Arsenal and has made the position his own across his four-and-a-half-year stay in north London.

But the Norway international endured a difficult 2024/25 campaign, and he could be the fall guy to make way for the £67.5million signing.

Eze’s haul of 25 direct goal involvements (14 goals and 11 assists) in all competitions in 2024/25 represented a better return than Odegaard, who registered six goals and 12 assists.

While dropping the club captain would raise a few eyebrows, Arteta has often shown that he is willing to make big decisions for the benefit of the team.

“He is going to flourish there and I would like to see him in the positions where he is able to make things happen,” Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports when asked about Eze.

“I feel, right now, that the one player who would be under a little bit of pressure… and if I thought two years ago that I’d be saying this, I would have thought I was crazy… but I think the captain will be looking, thinking, ‘He might be a problem for me’, because if he gets in then it might be hard for Odegaard to take back his place.”

Eze would be supported by Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi in this line-up, while Saka and Martinelli flank Gyokeres in the front three.

Arsenal with Eze in midfield

At home against the sides who prefer to sit in and soak up pressure, Arsenal dominate possession but often struggle to find a way through dogged defences.

An additional attacking threat is required in those games and Eze could potentially play alongside Odegaard in a midfield three.

While Declan Rice has impressed in a box-to-box role at the Emirates, he was initially signed from West Ham United as a defensive midfielder.

Arteta could play Rice behind the dual no.10s, similar to how Manchester City fielded Fernandinho behind Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva in the 2017/18 season.

Arteta – who worked as an assistant under City boss Pep Guardiola – has previously started with Kai Havertz and Odegaard on either side of Rice.

This system requires a lot of work out of possession and Odegaard and Eze are always willing to accept their share of defensive responsibility.

In this line-up, Zubimendi would be the player to drop out of Arsenal’s XI to allow Eze to play alongside Odegaard and Rice in midfield.

Arsenal with Eze as a false nine

Arsenal addressed their need for a new striker by signing Gyokeres from Sporting CP in a deal worth an initial £63.5million and another £8.7million in add-ons.

The Sweden international arrived at the Emirates with a reputation as one of the most prolific goalscorers in Europe, having scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting.

But the Gunners arguably looked at their most fluid in the 2022/23 season when Gabriel Jesus was bringing teammates into play and linking the attack together as a false nine.

Kai Havertz took up that role in the last two seasons, although he now looks set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.

Eze had a cameo as a false nine for England against Senegal earlier this summer and was one of the standout performers for Thomas Tuchel’s side.

Admittedly, Gyokeres will start the majority of their games this season but Arteta could play Eze as a false nine in games when he feels he needs more technical ability between the lines rather than runs in behind.

READ MORE: The 10 most expensive Arsenal transfers of all time after Eberechi Eze signing