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Football pundit Darren Ambrose has claimed he could start Eberechi Eze over Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli at left wing. The Gunners are reportedly in the market for a new attacker and have been linked with Eze in the summer transfer window.
Arsenal have bolstered their squad this summer, acquiring David Raya and Riccardo Calafiori on permanent deals. However, they are also allegedly keen on signing a new attacker to prove some much-needed depth up front.
One target they have been linked with this summer is Crystal Palace winger Eberechi Eze. The 26-year-old had an impressive 2023-24 campaign, garnering 11 goals and six assists in 31 appearances across all competitions. Eze also has a reported release clause of £60 million and could be an integral and versatile signing for Mikel Arteta and Co.
Ambrose gave his take on the Gunners being linked with Eze, telling talkSPORT (via The Boot Room):
“Arsenal would be difficult, I think, with Martinelli and Saka and Odegaard. I think that would be difficult. If we are looking at Eze playing in one of those forward three, I think Arsenal fans may differ (about Eze starting ahead of Martinelli) in that option. They have got this love-in with Martinelli and rightly so. For me, yes, I would have him over Martinelli, not sure Arsenal supporters would.”
Martinelli struggled to impress last season, scoring eight goals and providing five assists in 44 appearances across all competitions. This led to Arteta opting to drop him for Leandro Trossard in the second half of the season.
Former Arsenal attacker Nicolas Pepe joins La Liga club on a two-year deal
Former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe has joined La Liga club Villarreal on a two-year deal. The 29-year-old put pen to paper on August 4, signing as a free agent after an underwhelming tenure with the Gunners.
Pepe joined Unai Emery's Arsenal in the summer of 2019 from Lille for a club-record fee of £72 million at the time. Despite fans having a lot of high expectations from him, Pepe struggled to justify his price tag, bagging 27 goals and 21 assists in 112 appearances across competitions.
The Ivory Coast international also fell out of favor with Mikel Arteta in 2022 and was sent on season-long loans to Nice and Trabzonspor over the next two years. However, he has found himself a new club, as Villarreal posted a statement (via Football.london):
"Villarreal CF have reached an agreement with Nicolas Pépé for the Franco-Ivorian footballer to play in yellow for the next two seasons, until June 30, 2026. The Submarine's skillful new player, who has his dominant left foot, usually plays on the right flank of the attack, although he can also play in any of the team's offensive positions."
"Fast, unbalancing in one-on-one situations and with a powerful shot. Pure spectacle for the Submarine. The player will join the yellow team immediately and tomorrow Monday he will train with the rest of the squad at the Ciudad Deportiva (10:00 am)."
Pepe could make his debut in a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, August 6.
