Why £60m Arsenal star needs to leave alongside Eberechi Eze

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Released Oct 20, 2026, 8:15 AM GMT +1

Matt specialises in football analysis, transfer insight and initial function composing throughout the Premier League, EFL and Scottish football.

A sports author for 15 years, Matt finished with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism in 2018 and has actually established specific proficiency in Arsenal and the broader Premier League while likewise reporting on clubs consisting of Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United, Celtic, Rangers and groups throughout the EFL. He signed up with Football FanCast as part of its composing group in 2019 before advancing to Assistant Editor and after that ending up being a Senior Editor in 2021.

His work integrates reliable reporting with data-led analysis, tactical insight and notified transfer evaluation. Matt routinely takes a look at how gamers suit various systems, what their hidden numbers expose about their efficiencies and whether transfer targets represent practical services for clubs. His analysis intends to exceed the heading, discussing not simply what has actually occurred however what it suggests for a group, supervisor or gamer.

Matt’s journalism has actually likewise appeared through journalism Association, with his work included by Sky Sports and the Daily Mail. He formerly acted as Arsenal and Premier League Editor at VAVEL and acquired first-hand club-media experience with Chesterfield FC. Over his profession, he has actually spoken with figures consisting of Arsène Wenger, Ray Parlour, Alan Smith, Lucy Bronze and Steph Houghton. Matt’s voice has actually been heard throughout Arsenal Fan Television and Love Sport Radio.

Through his reporting, analysis and functions, Matt brings readers reliable football insight grounded in research study, data, tactical understanding and years of experience covering the expert video game.

Today, Matt leads Football FanCast’s functions group as Senior Editor, managing the publication’s viewpoint protection while assisting form its total editorial requirements and material technique.

Toolbox’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday night was classic Mikel Arteta.

It’s a far cry from the days of the flamboyant football of the Arsene Wenger days, however that isn’t how the Gunners do things now. By boasting the very best defence in Europe, they understand they will seldom yield.

It enables them to be client in attack and await a minute to protect a 1-0 win. They would, obviously, choose to score more objectives, however it is really typically how things play out at the minute.

Considering that ending up being supervisor of Arsenal in December 2019, Arteta has actually

supervised 32 1-0 triumphes in the Premier League. You can not state it isn’t sustainable; they have actually won the title playing in this manner.

Sadly, enhancement is required in the last 3rd ASAP. For Eberechi Eze, the indications are fretting. He’s not using enough on the left flank.

How Eze stopped working to provide versus Nottingham Forest

That hat-trick versus Tottenham Hotspur last season was unique. A Hale Ender, a boyhood Arsenal fan, had actually put Spurs -the group he turned down last summer season-to the sword. It was photo book things.

We have actually not seen that level of efficiency on a constant basis at the Emirates Stadium and his type in 2026/27, in specific, has actually been abject.

REUTERS/David Klein

Now, state what you like about his efficiencies, however he is not a left winger. He has actually played specifically because function this season and it has actually not worked out.

Sure, Eze scored versus Lille last midweek, however versus Forest, he was transported off at half-time after a first-half efficiency in which not quite went right.

Speaking after the video game, the one in charge stated: “I wanted something else, and we needed a different sort of profile on the left-hand side. I’m here to make decisions. A few days ago, he played and scored a goal, and could have had two or three against Lille. He had some really good moments. Today was different because what the game required was different. We felt we had to change it and that’s what happened.”

Well, damningly for Eze, the guy who changed him -Noni Madueke-was the ultimate match winner. The previous Chelsea winger’s dynamism was precisely what Arsenal required in the end to overcome the line.

In contrast, Eze did not have much to his video game. He didn’t take a crack at, finish a crucial pass or cross.

He handed out the ball too often too, effectively discovering a colleague with simply 69 % of his passes.
Why Eze is a huge issue for Arsenal

Alarm bells have actually been raised on a number of celebrations this season, not least when they went into the brand-new project without having actually changed a variety of their forward gamers.

Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard had actually all left with just Christos Tzolis showing up.

Now, with the Greek out hurt, the task has actually fallen upon Eze to be the primary male on the. It is not working out.

That stated, unfortunately, we should not be amazed. The England global has actually never ever looked comfy when inhabiting that position and it was from that function that things started to unwind last season.

The video game versus Forest on Sunday was not the very first time Eze has actually been subbed at half-time. Let’s review a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa last season. He came off at the break after stopping working to track the run of Matty Cash at the back post in the accumulation to Villa’s opener.

It took the previous Crystal Palace male a long period of time to return in Arteta’s excellent books. After this, he might have a hard time once again.

This was a genuine chance for the 28-year-old to stake his claim however he has actually not taken it. How fans should be wanting they had actually got their hands on Vinicius Junior or Morgan Rogers over the summer season.

With Tzolis the only out-and-out left winger in the team, Eze has actually ended up being a huge issue.

Why Eze isn’t the only Arsenal gamer fearing for his location

The work carried out by Andrea Berta in the summer season of 2025 assisted Arsenal win a Premier League however it is now truly being cast doubt on.

Not a single gamer signed a year back is now a routine begun. Kai Havertz has actually taken over Viktor Gyokeres in the chain of command while the similarity Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are considered as back-ups.

Martin Zubimendi has actually likewise fallen back his colleagues after at first appearing like among Berta’s finest finalizings.

He got here from Real Sociedad to the tune of ₤ 60m throughout the Sporting Director’s very first window at the helm. For much of last term, the Spaniard was remarkable.

Of the outfield gamers at the club, just Declan Rice played more minutes than Zubimendi last season. The longer the project played out, the more

That was up until ultimately Myles Lewis-Skelly entered into the middle of the park and made that position his own.

Compared to Zubimendi, the young Englishman uses more from a progressive perspective. He’s sensational at averting journalism and punching goes through the lines.

Zubimendi is safe however he is by no ways any sort of slouch. He’s still a great midfield gamer. With Lewis-Skelly now back in the image and with the arrival of ₤ 75m male Bruno Guimaraes, it is challenging to see how the World Cup winner gets back into the side.

Even Guimaraes has actually needed to go for a routine put on the bench considering that showing up from Newcastle United. If the Brazilian is discovering it challenging to get in ahead of Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi definitely will too.

REUTERS/Scott Heppell

While recommending he leaves right away is pressing it, it would not be a surprise if he was among the gamers, together with Eze, who was offered next summertime.

For a project, the 27-year-old was mainly remarkable however Arsenal now have 2 gamers who are more total midfielders; both Guimaraes and Lewis-Skelly look a class above.