Mikel Arteta has revealed Eberechi Ezecalled him as he was about to join Tottenham.
Arsenalleft their north London opponents embarrassed on Wednesday night after reaching a preliminary agreement withCrystal Palace to sign Eze, 27.
Eze was heading to Spurs following 10 days of discussions regarding a deal valued at £55 million plus additional clauses — but Arsenal managed to intervene at the last moment with an offer worth £67.5 million.
The 27-year-old finalized the transfer to Arsenal on Saturday and was introduced to supporters ahead of their 5-0 victory overLeeds.
A report from The Athletic states that Eze reached out to Mikel Arteta moments before finalizing his decision to join Tottenham.
When questioned about its accuracy, Arteta remarked, "That demonstrates how much he desired to join."
It can be quite different at times since you need to be very open and honest with the players, as they have to make important decisions about their careers. However, I'm happy to have him.
I'm happy to have him, I can see how significant this is for him and his entire family.
The Daily Mail Sport reports that Spurs had accepted Palace's transfer conditions on Wednesday and had also reached an agreement with Eze, who was then eager to complete the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However, Crystal Palace are reported to have required Eze to be available for their Conference League play-off first leg match against the Norwegian team Fredrikstad on Thursday evening, creating a chance for Arsenal to make a move.
However, in the end, Eze did not participate. Oliver Glasner had hoped he would receive a farewell appearance but mentioned that the winger claimed to be unwell on the day of the match.
He has entered into a four-year agreement with Emirates, including an additional year option, and will don the No 10 jersey.
Eze is set to make his debut as Arsenal visit Anfield to take on top-tier contenders Liverpool this Sunday.
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