Eberechi Eze – The Drunken Master
09/20/2024 01:30 AM
Dubbed ‘The Drunken Master’ due to his iconic, almost lazy shoulder drop, Eberechi Eze is nothing short of beautiful to watch.
He seems to glide in between players with a fearlessness that has been hard to find in today's game. He doesn’t subscribe to the tactic of dribbling as close as you can to a defender only to chop back and knock it to his full back. The Greenwich native oozes class and skill and doesn’t seem that he is ever up to full speed. He never seems to be sprinting at his full capabilities as he leaves defenders in the dust watching the bottom of his boots dance away from them.
With all due respect to Crystal Palace, Eze would’ve been eyeing up Champions League football early in the summer, especially after the robin to his batman, Michael Olise, got his move to Bayern Munich. It does seem strange to me that nobody came calling for his services, well nobody that we have heard of. Palace chairman Steve Parish said he was “astounded” by the lack of interest in Eberechi Eze during the transfer window.
Now this could be looked at in many different ways – 1 – there actually wasn’t that much interest and he is genuine in this comment and 2 – there was some interest, but the number didn’t quite hit the £100 million mark and he’s trying to boost his price coming into January as clubs come knocking when they think they are the only ones interested. Steve Parish is a businessman, and a good one at that. I think he knows that, realistically, if there is a bigger club to come calling that the Eagles number 10 will want to go test himself against the very best and why not build up his profile and get as much money as possible for him, while also helping his team to a good start to the season before the January transfer window.
At 26, Eze is just about to hit his prime, after contributing 15 goals/assists in the league last year I felt that all the top six would have an interest in what he can offer. Perhaps the number 10 position or just off the left is where most teams have covered, but you can never have too many proven players who know how to get you a goal, in one way or another.
Eze has made himself a regular in the England set up and there’s no doubt he deserves his recent call ups and hasn’t looked out of place. It would be safe to assume that Eze feels that if he is good enough to represent his country at the Euros, then to play Champions League football would fit the same bill. Selfishly I would love to see Eze playing for Tottenham Hotspur, not guaranteed Champions League football but definitely challenging for it. He fits the style of football that Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou play. Exciting, fast, free flowing and to me just seems like a Tottenham player.
That being said, I think Eze probably fits into every top six squad. Another threat for Pep off the left? Playing alongside Phil Foden behind Erling Haaland – that screams goals. Playing in the 10 for Liverpool who have often declined that position in the past few seasons, but Arne Slot could be the one to bring it back to Anfield. Manchester United are screaming out for more quality all over the pitch so fitting Eze in there somewhere would be simple.
As for Chelsea, they have seven or eight options in that area so maybe the best to stay away from Cobham but the way Todd Bohely has constructed his squad, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see him don the blue of Chelsea at some point. As much as I hate to say it, Eze would also suit Mikel Arteta perfectly, to be frank though, I don't think that he will join the Gunners and Arteta would look to strengthen other areas such as striker before looking to spend that money on another midfielder/winger.
Whatever the matter, I would be shocked to see Eze still donning a Crystal Palace jersey come the start of 2025. In my opinion, he is already one of the best players in the league. Not every player can do what he does, with such ease, and not every team in the league have a player who can do what he does. In fact, to me, Crystal Palace are the only team in the league with that luxury.
