I don’t doubt his ability for us either. Under Arteta we don’t need an touch line hugger, but I don’t doubt he will instruct when to keep wide etc., mirroring Saka.
In my mind, if we sign Eze, the question is more how Rice and the new striker will perform. Eze will do his job for us.
Not sure I’m buying that “separate to winger” thing but I like these links.
0:50 on Ebereči (love how he pronounces his name lol)
Btw, all this talk about him not being able to play as a winger here, brings me back to when Grealish was moving to City. He also played as similar role at Villa that Eze now has at Palace, a free 10/winger. City had those Sane Sterling wingers just before him, many speculated him ending up as an 8 at City and didn’t see him on the wing there. But he did a brillant job in that treble season on the flank and proved he can operate there on elite level.
When I see Eze, how he drives with the ball, how he takes players on, how dynamic he is, I don’t see why he couldn’t play on the left for us. Even if he can’t play there for 50 games a season, rotating him with Martinelli here and there won’t hurt him.
I think he suits our needs. He adds that bit of spice and creativity we lack, and he operates on the left, where we mainly miss it.
Having him drawing players to himself and doing similar stuff Saka and Odegaard are doing on the right would do very good things for us.
The Trossard contract extension rumours have quietened - Eze could be a younger replacement as that LW creator, a similar profile to Trossard.
I think we ought to keep Martinelli as a stylistic option and if we can add a Rodrygo or Bakayoko (LW equivalent) it sets us up nicely for attacking options.