Eberechi Eze believes he needed to leave Arsenal to become the person he is today, but he’s where he’s meant to be now.
It’s no secret that Eberechi Eze was on the books with Arsenal as a youth player, and that he was bitterly disappointed to have been released by the club long before making it to the first team.
But having now returned to north London many years later, Eze insists that he needed that time away to build his character and become the person he is now.
“I don’t think I’d be the same person if I went all the way through the academy,” Eze said. “I don’t think I’d have the same character that I do have now. So I’m grateful for the journey. I’m grateful for all that I’ve experienced and everything that’s led to this point.”
“I feel like I’m just where I’m meant to be,” Eze insisted. “I’m enjoying working every day, enjoying applying myself.
“When I say ‘work’, I mean like grafting to achieve something. And that’s the mentality. And I’ll always enjoy that, I’ll always love that.
“And to be able to do that here (at Arsenal) is a special thing. I don’t think that feeling will leave.”
It’s been a solid start for Eze, with a goal and two assists in his first five appearances for the club. Considering only three of those appearances were starts, the 27-year-old has made the most of his time on the pitch already.
But there won’t be much time to settle in. With Arsenal’s attacking injuries and the pressure to achieve something this season, the club need Eze to keep delivering in the coming matches.
That starts with an away match against Newcastle United on Sunday. Arsenal have often struggled to break Newcastle down at St. James’ Park, and it’s generally required a moment of individual inspiration to open the scoring.
Eze is certainly capable of providing those kinds of moments, but with Newcastle only conceding three times in five Premier League fixtures, it won’t be easy.