Eberechi Eze 'at peace' with Crystal Palace situation as he outlines dream scenario
Eberechi Eze remained at Crystal Palace this season, with Eagles chief Steve Parish admitting he was 'astounded' by the lack of interest - but the midfielder is focused on impressing at Selhurst Park
by Matt Maltby · The MirrorIt was a summer saga that left his Crystal Palace chairman "astounded" - but Eberechi Eze isn't one to look back with regrets.
After tasting international tournament football for the first time, where he played three times as England agonisingly missed out on Euro 2024 glory in Germany, Eze was one of the hottest tickets in town.
The midfielder saw team-mates Michael Olise and Joachim Andersen leave Selhurst Park for a combined £70million in the summer - and the club rejected a bid worth £65m from Newcastle for defender Marc Guehi.
However, offers from the Premier League's big guns for Eze didn't materialise, with Eagles supremo Steve Parish admitting this month that the club "didn't have the interest that I thought we would have. I was astounded."
But the Londoner, 26, isn't worried too much about what happens in the future, nor does he let the praise from Parish get to his head. Instead, he wants to concentrate on helping winless Palace climb up the table after a tricky start to the campaign.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's must-win clash with Everton, he said: "I appreciate the words that they say. But I'm so focused on just being the best player I can be, whatever interest comes, or whatever happens.
"I want to enjoy my football where I am right now. The things that I can control, that's it. I'm really, really invested in becoming the best player I can be. Whether that leads me to another club, or to whatever, I'm at peace with that - and I try to stay there (at peace) as well."
So, has his role altered after a summer of change in south London? He added: "Maybe I have a bit more responsibility on the pitch, but it's not much different to what I was doing last season. The way I carry myself, the way I play, the way I speak, the way I communicate, that's just how I play football.
"Losing Michael and Joachim, they were big players and important players last season but we've done well to get players who can fill their spots. The type of player I am, I want to affect games and I do everything I can to win."
One of those players to come in is striker Eddie Nketiah from Arsenal. The pair are close pals, having met each other through mutual friends and the England junior ranks.
They showed their connection on the pitch by linking up for Nketiah to score in the Carabao Cup win over Queens Park Rangers last week - and Eze is hoping it's just the beginning of a successful partnership in red and blue.
He added: "I've known him for a while, through mutual friends and players at Arsenal. I also met him and became friends from the England U20s camp. From there, we obviously linked up quite well. Off the pitch, we're boys, and on the pitch you can see we have a connection.
"Again, it's a great addition, I'm happy he's here. He's the type of player you want to be playing with. That's what I was talking about, an addition that has filled slots and gaps in the team that would have been very difficult to fill. To have someone like him to come in, it's huge."
Enjoyment is clearly a huge part of Eze's game - despite a tough start to his professional career. He was released by Arsenal, Fulham, Reading and Millwall before the age of 18. He eventually found a home at QPR and then arrived in the Premier League with Palace four years ago.
He always plays with a smile on his face, particularly when he enjoys a run of form like he did under Oliver Glasner last season. Six goals in the second half of the campaign helped him land his England spot - and Eze is full of praise for the Europa League-winning boss.
He said: "He's an incredible manager and an incredible person as well. It's a huge blessing to be working under him and to learn from him. The way he sees football and life - it's someone with a lot of wisdom and I'm very fortunate to work with him.
"He's helped me massively just in understanding football better and understanding a different way to play and approaching games and training. I'm hugely grateful."
Eze hopes that knowledge will help him this season - with the ultimate aim of becoming a mainstay in the England XI. He now has nine caps for the Three Lions, including those substitute appearances at the Euros.
Liverpool star Joe Gomez described him as the 'life of the party' during England's stay in Germany, but he hopes to become more than a popular figure in the dressing room - he wants to star on the pitch.
He added: "That's the aim (to push for a starting spot). Being in the set-up is incredible and it's a huge honour and privilege, but of course as a player you are pushing for more.
"You are always trying to be better than you once were. To become a mainstay in that team and to stay, and to become the player that I know I can be in that team, that's the next step."
Eze has linked up with McDonald's to become a Fun Football ambassador. He already uses his platform to help out youngsters in local communities, having successfully launched his own initiative for the past two years - The Eze Invitational.
He added: "Watching young girls and boys playing the game that changed my life at an early age is so great to see and that’s why I am working with McDonald’s Fun Football.
"It’s so important to make football as accessible and inclusive as we can, and I hope to keep inspiring many kids across the UK to join in on the fun. Signups for the Autumn sessions are now live, so make sure to register your child today and let them experience the joy and benefits of playing football."
Eberechi Eze was celebrating the latest free wave of McDonald’s Fun Football sessions this Autumn, available to all children aged 5-11 across the UK. The UKs biggest participation programme is available for sign-ups now at mcdonalds.co.uk/football.
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