Arsenal Set to Keep Eze Despite Poor Form While Calafiori's Future in Doubt

Arsenal have no intention of parting with Eberechi Eze come the summer window, even as the winger endures a frustrating season at the Emirates.

The north London outfit invested over £250m in fresh talent last summer, handing manager Mikel Arteta the backing to mount a genuine assault across all competitions. And they've delivered on that promise too – sitting four points clear atop the Premier League, progressing to the Champions League knockout stages, reaching the League Cup final, and booking their spot in the FA Cup fifth round after dispatching Wigan.

Eze, recruited from Crystal Palace for £67.5m, has hardly set the world alight since his arrival. The 27-year-old England international has managed five goals – three bizarrely arriving in a single match – alongside three assists across 33 outings this term. More troublingly, he'd gone 15 games without either a goal or an assist before finally delivering against Wigan on Sunday, when he laid on two efforts in a 4-0 rout.

Yet despite this underwhelming return, sources insist the Gunners will not entertain any notion of letting him depart. Arteta harbours "big plans" for the playmaker, with the club convinced he remains integral to their blueprint going forward.

The same cannot necessarily be said for Riccardo Calafiori, however. Since arriving from Bologna in 2024, the Italian left-back has been ravaged by injury, missing 41 matches across club and country. Now, with his fitness record casting a long shadow, Arsenal are reportedly weighing whether to offload him in the coming window.

Former Manchester United scout Mick Brown believes the decision hinges on the medical team's assessment. "If they determine he's genuinely prone to injuries and it can't be managed through careful rotation, that becomes a genuine concern," he explained. "It wouldn't surprise me if they looked to move him on."

The logic is straightforward: Arteta demands players capable of featuring week in, week out. In a campaign where Arsenal are juggling Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup commitments, gambling on a player who might manage three games before spending the next month sidelined is a luxury they simply cannot afford. The fact that Arsenal possess adequate cover in that position only strengthens the case for a summer exit.