Eberechi Eze names six clubs that could have signed him before Crystal Palace and Arsenal
Crystal Palace's star player, Eberechi Eze, has revealed the six clubs that missed out on signing him. The England international, who had to work his way up the football ladder, shed light on the opportunities these clubs missed in securing his services during his early years.
Eze, now 25, made the move to Palace from QPR in 2020 after a standout performance for the Championship side. Despite battling injuries during his stint in South London, he managed to play his 100th top-flight match this season and netted the decisive goal in a crucial 1-0 victory at Anfield on Sunday.
His goal not only put a dent in Liverpool's title aspirations but also edged Oliver Glasner's team closer to safety. It was a boost for his former club Arsenal in the title race, although the Gunners couldn't capitalise on it, suffering a home defeat against Aston Villa later that day.
Eze has previously discussed his time at Arsenal's academy, but the Gunners are not the only Premier League club to have let him slip away. Fulham also let go of the talented playmaker during his teenage years, and four other clubs turned him down before QPR finally gave him his big break.
"I started at Bruin - that's a Sunday league team," Eze shared in a video posted by LifeeOfBallers on TikTok. "[I] was there for maybe half a year before getting scouted by a few teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, more London-based teams.", reports the Mirror.
"I decided to go to Arsenal, was there for maybe five years, played there, then got released. Went to Fulham for two and a half years or so [and] got released from there, went to Reading for half a year, got released from there."
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"Then went to Millwall for my scholar so I was there for two years, then got released from there. Went on trial to a few teams afterwards, went to Sunderland, went to Bristol City, got released from there - well, not released, but didn't get in."
"Then, thankfully to God, got signed by QPR," he continued. "They gave me a year contract, [I] worked for maybe three or four months, got offered a new contract and from there started to grow, started to get better and improve, play first-team football, and from there I got a move to Palace., and that's where I am now".
With six games of the season left, Eze still has an opportunity to equal his career-best goal tally of 10 from the 2022-23 campaign. His strident winner against Liverpool propelled the Eagles eight points clear of the relegation area, edging them towards safety.
Manager Glasner praised his squad after his first victory away from home.
"Our first-half was really brilliant, how we played, how we defended, also the confidence we had in possession," Glasner said after the win. "What a goal we scored, really amazing here at Anfield."
"I think what was perfect was our desire, our passion, our spirit, because in the second-half there was so much pressure from Liverpool and we defended. I don't know a leg here, a leg there, and with every single cell in their bodies they defended, and we got the reward, so congrats to the team for this performance today."