Eberechi Eze faces Arsenal future doubts after positional

Eberechi Eze's position at Arsenal is under serious threat following a string of poor performances and the club's strategic shift in the transfer market. The England international, a £67m signing, has failed to secure a Premier League start this season and is now facing questions about his long-term fit under Mikel Arteta.

Arteta's tactical deployment of Eze is at the heart of the issue. The manager has used the 28-year-old as a left-winger in recent weeks, a decision stemming from the club's failure to properly strengthen that area during the summer window. This positional change has not yielded positive results.

His most recent start came in the 1-0 Champions League victory over Napoli, a match where his performance was described as underwhelming. The dynamic, influential player who thrived in the final third for Crystal Palace has been conspicuously absent. Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown pointed out that Arteta is not getting the best from Eze, suggesting the player's talents are being stifled by a system that does not suit him.

Arteta now prefers new signing Christos Tzolis in Eze's usual advanced midfield role. With established options like Martin Odegaard, who has returned to world-class form, and the recent £75m addition of Bruno Guimaraes, the path back to Eze's preferred central position looks blocked. This has created a significant problem for a player who was Arsenal's second-top Premier League scorer last season, albeit with only seven goals.

The club's activity in the transfer market adds another layer of pressure. Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, agreed to sign a player described as a '10/10 talent' this summer. While the specific identity of this player is not confirmed in the provided sources, the intent is clear: the club is actively seeking to upgrade its attacking options.

This pursuit highlights a recognition that last summer's major investments, including Eze, have not fully delivered. The Gunners explored moves for forwards like Julian Alvarez and Vinicius Junior before the window closed. Their failure to land an elite striker was a noted frustration for Arteta and Berta, but their refusal to panic-buy indicates a longer-term plan that may not include Eze as a central figure.

The substantial £67m fee paid for Eze now looks increasingly difficult to justify, especially when compared to the £63m spent on Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon. With the team already claiming the league's best defence, reinforced by Ezri Konsa and Piero Hincapie, the focus for improvement is squarely on the attack. Eze's struggles have made him a likely candidate for upgrade or replacement.

The situation presents a complex challenge for Arteta. Eze's recent showings have become a genuine concern, but the manager's current tactical setup offers him few alternatives. "Eberechi Eze is starting to become quite a serious concern for Arsenal," Brown stated, capturing the growing unease around the player.

He is not being allowed to express himself in the style that made him a star at Selhurst Park. Stuck in a role that doesn't utilise his core strengths, a downturn in form was almost inevitable. Unless there is a tactical reshuffle or a dramatic improvement in his adaptation to the left wing, his opportunities will remain limited. The competition for places is only getting fiercer.

• Eze has not started a Premier League game this season and disappointed in his Champions League start against Napoli.
• Manager Mikel Arteta is using him as a left-winger, a position that fails to maximise his creative talents.
• New signings like Christos Tzolis and continued interest in elite forwards threaten his place in the squad.
• The club's recognition of a need for more attacking firepower puts his £67m fee under greater scrutiny.

Eze's career at the Emirates Stadium has reached a critical juncture. The coming months will determine whether he can adapt to Arteta's demands or if he becomes the most expensive casualty of the club's relentless pursuit of improvement. Fans can track the team's progress and Eze's involvement in our upcoming [fixtures](/fixtures).