Eberechi Eze signs for Arsenal: Gunners make transfer from Crystal Palace official ahead of Leeds match

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Eberechi Eze, the England international joining from Crystal Palace in a deal worth up to $91.3 million.

Eze signed a contract understood to run for four years and a further 12 month option with the club who released him as a 13 year old but 14 years later swept in to steal him from North London rivals Tottenham, who were closing in on a deal for the attacking midfielder before Arsenal beat them to it on Wednesday night. He will wear the No.10 shirt.

"We are absolutely delighted to bring Eberechi to Arsenal," said Mikel Arteta. "He is a powerful and exciting player who will give us a new dimension in our attacking game. What stands out just as much as his talent and intelligence as a player, is the way he has worked hard throughout his career to get where he is today.

"His journey, his mentality, and his ambition are exactly what we want in our team, and we love how much it means to him and his family to be joining our club. We all look forward to start working with Eberechi soon."

A deal worth an initial $81.1 million was quickly agreed with the remainder made up of add-ons. It is understood that the terms agreed with Palace are greater than those on offer by Tottenham, who ultimately would have found it an almighty struggle to secure the player's services when Arsenal entered the equation. Eze is a boyhood Arsenal fan and the chance to return to the club that parted ways with him in 2011 was always the most enticing for him.

The Gunners had long been admirers of Eze, but pressed ahead with a deal to secure his services following a knee injury suffered by Kai Havertz earlier this week. CBS Sports also understands that Arsenal had been waiting for an agreement over a contract extension for Ethan Nwaneri, their highly rated young attacker, before pushing ahead with a move for Eze. Both players have enjoyed their best form as shot-getting interior playmakers, though Nwaneri has generally been used on the right hand side of attack by Arteta.

Eze spent most of his five years at Selhurst Park on Crystal Palace's left hand side, though generally in a more interior spot than Arsenal deploy their options on that flank. The 26 year old is expected to rival Gabriel Martinelli for starting minutes out wide though he can also play in central midfield.

He departs Crystal Palace as one of their greatest ever players, the star of the side who won their first piece of major silverware in the FA Cup final in May, following that up with a key role in the Community Shield win over Liverpool. Universally admired by supporters at Selhurst Park, he departs with glowing praise from the club hierarchy.

"Throughout five years here, Eberechi has been an incredible presence, having had a huge impact on Crystal Palace Football Club and been an inspiration for the people of South London. Eberechi's journey is truly incredible: from being released from multiple clubs, to scoring the cup final-winning goal, and helping bring the club its first major trophy in 164 years, he is a huge inspiration and role model.

"Just as importantly, and no less inspirationally, Ebs is a great person, always positive, always a positive presence, and humble in his dealings with everyone, regularly giving his time to the club's charity and other philanthropy. He epitomises everything good about the modern footballer. We, as a club, will always hold Ebs in our hearts and wish him all the success for the future. He will always be welcome back at Selhurst Park."

Eze's signing has delighted Arsenal supporters who have craved further attacking additions, even in a summer where Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke have arrived. Certainly the narrative of the move is one of unconditional triumph for the red half of North London, sweeping in to claim Tottenham's primary target at the 11th hour, the biggest move involving these two teams since Sol Campbell was convinced to journey down the Seven Sisters Road in 2001.

That Eze also offers some of the qualities that Arsenal seemed to be missing last season only makes this more exciting on the face of it. The star of Palace's FA Cup-winning team, Eze averaged over 10 shots and chances created per 100 touches in the Premier League last season, and his willingness to take on a man, gambling possession in pursuit of greater threat, marks a change from Arsenal's more controlled approach.

Equally, there will be questions as to how Eze makes the step up from the south of London to the north. Over 169 games with Palace, he was undoubtedly the most crucial cog in the side, the man through whom so much of the Eagles' attack flowed. It is hard to envisage the same circumstances in a team that will still have the Bukayo Saka-Martin Odegaard tandem to fall back on. In the past three seasons, Arsenal's left winger has often functioned as more of a low touch threat, Martinelli averaging 10 fewer touches per 90 Premier League minutes. That is not a role that would make sense for a creator as talented as Eze.

That talent, however, makes it hard to say no to not want a player as talented as Eze when he wants you. As Arsenal compete for the biggest prizes across England and Europe this season, a sprinkling of stardust could go a long way. They will hope that that is just what their new man delivers.