Eberechi Eze had a breakthrough campaign in the Championship last season which saw the Queens Park Rangers midfielder start all 46 Championship matches for the London outfit. The 22-year-old was vital in ensuring that Mark Warburton’s side were not under the threat of relegation for much of the season by scoring an incredible 14 goals from the engine room.
No other QPR player managed more strikes in the Championship, with on-loan Hammer Jordan Hugill, who may be set to leave this summer if QPR want him, firing in 13 goals. On top of Eze’s tremendous goal tally, he also registered a joint team-high eight assists, only further highlighting his importance to the R’s.
However, with just one year of his contract at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium remaining, the QPR playmaker has been on the radar of multiple Premier League clubs, reportedly including Arsenal, Crystal Palace and West Ham. It has been suggested that the R’s are looking for £20m for their playmaker, but may be forced into accepting significantly less than that figure due to his contractual situation.
Further good news for Hammers fans has come in the form of Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol’s ‘insider’ column where he proclaims Eze “grew up supporting Arsenal and spent some time in their youth set up so his dream move would be to the Emirates Stadium”. However, the journalist believes “the days when Arsenal went shopping at QPR are long gone though”.
Solhekol’s suggestion that Arsenal will not be in the hunt for Eze this summer is promising news for the Hammers, meaning there would be one fewer clubs to fight off to secure the English Youth international’s signature.
Last term in the second tier Eze was directly involved in 22 goals for the division’s 13th placed side. Overall his contribution via goals and assists accounted for 32 per cent of Queens Park Rangers’ strikes, and the midfielders’ telling contribution was an enormous factor in ensuring the R’s finished mid-table. The 22-year-old earned ten-man of the match awards in the process, and if he arrives at the London Stadium this summer, fans will be hoping Eze can enjoy similar success and guide the Hammers to a mid-table finish.
