Why I didn’t join Tottenham - Eze reveals dramatic switch to Arsenal

New Arsenal signing Eberechi Eze has admitted he was on the verge of joining arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur before a last-minute phone call with manager Mikel Arteta convinced him to move to the Emirates Stadium instead.

The former Crystal Palace midfielder had reportedly agreed to terms with Spurs, but a late intervention from Arsenal saw him join the club he supported as a child.

On August 19, Eze appeared destined for a high-profile transfer to Tottenham, a move intended to signal the club's ambitions under new manager Thomas Frank.

With Spurs chairman Daniel Levy finalising the details, the England international's switch across London seemed all but confirmed.

However, just a day later, the situation took a dramatic turn. Eze, an Arsenal academy graduate and lifelong supporter, made a final, hopeful call to Mikel Arteta to see if a move to the Gunners was still possible. By that evening, Arsenal had matched the offer made to Crystal Palace, successfully hijacking the deal and stunning the football world.

Reflecting on the call, Arteta commented, "That shows you how much he wanted to come. It's very different sometimes because you want to be very open and transparent with the players as they have to make decisions in their careers, but I'm delighted to have him. I can tell how much it means to him and his whole family."

Eze was unveiled to a roaring crowd at the Emirates before a match against Leeds United, instantly endearing himself to the fanbase by choosing them over their fiercest rivals.

Now an established presence in the Arsenal midfield, Eze is set to face his former club, Crystal Palace, for the first time since his £60 million ($81m) transfer. Ahead of the pivotal match, he visited a school in south London where he faced a series of questions from students.

According to The Athletic, when asked if he would have completed the move to Spurs, Eze confessed, "I was prepared to go to Tottenham, but from the moment Arsenal came, it was always going to be them."

The decision to gazump Tottenham has already proven beneficial for Arsenal. Initially slated for a role on the left wing, Eze has been redeployed to a central midfield position following an injury to Martin Odegaard, providing a much-needed creative spark.

Sunday's match will be an emotional occasion for Eze, who left Crystal Palace as a club hero. He etched his name into Selhurst Park folklore by scoring in both the semi-final and final of the FA Cup, and also helped the club defeat Liverpool to win the Community Shield at Wembley.

Despite his strong connection to Palace, the 27-year-old will need to set aside sentiment to help Arsenal secure all three points and add to his former club's recent struggles.