If he plays this Saturday (September 23) against Fulham, Ebere Eze will make his 100th appearance for Crystal Palace – but how does the current number 10 compare to his first interview with the club?
It was just over three years ago – 29th August 2020 – that Palace announced the arrival of Eze from Queens Park Rangers on a long-term deal.
The playmaker had collected Supporters’ Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Junior Hoops Player of the Year the previous season and been shortlisted for PFA Player of the Year. In the same week as he signed for Palace, he was called up by England Under-21s.
Now a fully-fledged senior Three Lions international and one of the Premier League’s most-feared forward players, it is clear that Eze’s undoubted talent is ringing true with his first Palace TV interview those three years ago.
“[The deal] definitely shows their [Palace’s] belief in me – and I want to be here, I want to play, I want to do as well as I can for this club and it’s a brilliant opportunity,” Eze said back in August 2020.
“It was the plan that was set out for me and what they’ve said about me and it’s the most in-line with what I feel about myself. For me, that’s the most important thing – more than ‘what the club is’ or whatever. I think the plan they have for me and where they see me, that’s what it is.
“It’s the position they want me to play, their goals, where they want to be, where they want to push, what they want to become, how they see me fitting in that system… The style of football they want to play suits me. It’s perfect for me. It’s a great opportunity and a great place to come.”
Whilst Eze speaks of ‘goals’ in a more figurative sense, his goal-scoring feats have certainly impressed in recent years, Palace’s No. 10 scoring that same number in the Premier League last season to finish as top goalscorer.
Featuring in all 38 Premier League games last season, Eze also recorded four assists, linking up most frequently with close friend and teammatee. Michael Olis
The duo’s link-ups bring back memories of some of Palace’s favourite collaborators in modern times – one of which Eze himself cited in his first interview.
“I remember watching [Yannick] Bolasie and [Wilfried] Zaha in the Championship and just thinking: ‘That’s where you want to be, that’s the goal,’” Eze said back then. “It’s a great opportunity for me to come and show what I’m about, and to follow in their steps.”
Beyond ideological alignment, faith and a step into the top-tier, Eze found an attraction to Palace in his background. Born and raised in south London, less than 10-miles from Selhurst Park, starting his time in SE25 meant the 22-year-old could move closer to his roots while at south London’s biggest club.
“It’s perfect,” he said. “It’s great to be back in south London, local, and around my family.”
As it has for so many of this generation’s brightest footballers – Zaha included – south London has shaped Eze, with his early years in the capital’s footballing cages defining the professional player he is today.
He explained: “I think any boy in London knows cage football is where you learn most of your football. That shaped me, it’s where skilful players thrive and learn what they can do. I try my best to take it onto the pitch, impress the fans and entertain.”
Entertain Eze most certainly has.
Indeed, as far as closing remarks in introductory interviews go, Eze’s – back in 2020 – have proven pretty spot-on.
“As a football club, I feel like there are great players here and it’s a brilliant opportunity for me to come and be with these players, to link up with them and really push on… It’s a brilliant opportunity for me to help push this club forwards as much as I can.
“I hope to see you [the fans] as soon as we can. I hope to entertain you and I hope you guys enjoy me as much as I’ll enjoy you.”
