Eberechi Eze suddenly looks like one of Arsenal’s most important attacking players after a summer that dramatically reduced Mikel Arteta’s options on the left side.
Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus have all departed, removing three experienced forwards who could operate across multiple positions.
Arsenal did sign Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, but they failed to bring in another specialist winger before the window closed.
That leaves Eze with a much bigger responsibility than he carried during Arsenal’s title-winning campaign last season.
Eze is expected to carry burden at left-wing for Arsenal
Martinelli’s departure is particularly significant because he had been Arsenal’s natural left-wing option for years.
Trossard provided another dependable solution, while Jesus could drift wide when required.
With all three gone, Arteta is now likely to use Eze regularly from the left, even though his natural game often sees him move centrally into pockets behind the striker.
Last season showed why Arsenal can trust him with greater responsibility.
According to Opta Analyst, Eze played 32 Premier League matches for Arsenal in 2025-26, starting 21 times and recording 7 goals and 2 assists in 1,817 minutes.
Those numbers are respectable considering he was not always guaranteed a starting role. This season, however, the expectation will be much higher.
Tzolis is now Arsenal’s only obvious specialist left-winger, meaning Eze could become Arteta’s alternative whenever the Greek international is rested, injured or used elsewhere.
Gunners need Eze to take more responsibility
This is where Arsenal’s summer business becomes a gamble.
Selling Martinelli, Trossard and Jesus has removed a considerable amount of attacking depth.
Arsenal may have improved other areas of the squad, but they are unquestionably thinner out wide.
Eze therefore needs to move from useful rotation player to genuine difference-maker.
His technical qualities make him well suited to the role. He can beat defenders, carry the ball through pressure and drift inside to combine with Martin Odegaard and the central striker. In matches against deep defensive blocks, that unpredictability could actually make Arsenal less rigid on the left.
The concern is output. Seven league goals last season was useful; Arsenal may now need something closer to double figures, alongside a noticeable increase on his two assists.
Tzolis cannot be expected to carry an entire flank alone. That makes Eze’s fitness, consistency and adaptability crucial.
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