Paul Merson has told Arsenal the “pressure is on” if they don’t win the Premier League this season as Eberechi Eze was the “missing piece” for them.
Arsenal have reportedly agreed the signing of Crystal Palace star Eze. The attacking midfielder was directly involved in 25 goals in all competitions last season, and has looked destined for bigger things.
For the last few days, it has looked like a transfer to Tottenham was most likely, with the north London outfit feeling they had almost agreed his signing.
But after Kai Havertz was injured this week, Arsenal came out of nowhere to hijack their rivals for the signing of Eze.
And after three second-placed Premier League finishes in a row, Merson feels that the Gunners should be winning the title, given the signing of the star.
He said on Sky Sports “He’s the X factor; I think he’s the missing piece for Arsenal winning the Premier League. The pressure’s on now if they don’t win it.”
“I think [Andrea Berta’s] bought amazingly. They needed a holding midfield player; they bought a top-drawer one.
“They’ve needed a centre-forward; they bought a centre-forward. Now, they bought someone who can break defences; he could get in a lot of teams.
“I watched Arsenal a lot; when the pressure’s on, they find it hard to break teams down. They rely on [Martin] Odegaard; if Odegaard doesn’t do it, and he didn’t do it last season, they struggle.
“[Bukayo] Saka got injured; he’s the other one they rely on. All of a sudden, you’ve got him [Eze]; he is different class, he’s different class.”
It is believed that Eze will undertake his medical with Arsenal on Friday afternoon. He was supposed to be playing for Crystal Palace against Fredrikstad in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night, with Oliver Glasner originally stating that both he and Marc Guehi, who could also exit, should both be in the side.
But Eze was conspicuously absent from the Eagles side, with Glasner explaining it was sickness that had kept his midfielder from playing in the European tie.
Glasner said: “Honestly I expected that he will start today for us, but he called me this morning and said he doesn’t feel well to play in the evening, and of course I have to accept it, and everything else you have to ask the chairman.”
READ MORE: Tottenham knew Eze deal ‘wasn’t quite right’ but thought it was ‘done’ before Arsenal hijack