**Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker believes Eberechi Eze hasn’t been given the freedom to play his natural game since his move to Arsenal.**
The 27-year-old has struggled to kick on since his hat-trick in the North London derby back in November, and asked why things have not gone to plan for the player since then, Parker pointed towards the manager:
“I think that freedom has been taken away from him by Mikel Arteta since going to Arsenal. They bought him for what he was delivering and then when they got him, they’ve tried to get him to do something different. It doesn’t make sense for that kind of money.”
Eze was signed from Crystal Palace for £67.5m during the summer transfer window. That was a substantial investment, but it is fair to say that his performances haven’t quite lived up to the transfer fee so far.
The Arsenal star is going through a barren spell
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Eze has not registered a goal or assist since the 3-1 win over Bayern Munich at the end of November. Since then, he has played six games in total without troubling the opposition’s goal.
It certainly didn’t help that Arteta left him on the bench for four straight league games, and Martin Odegaard’s return to form has definitely exacerbated the situation.
Has Eze been given a different role by Arteta?
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Since the victory over Tottenham, the England international has only been selected in the no.10 position on one further occasion. That was the following league match against Chelsea.
In most other matches, Eze has been picked to play on the left wing or in a deeper role. [**Against Portsmouth**](https://goonernews.com/blog/arsenal-player-ratings-portsmouth/) in the FA Cup at the weekend, he formed a three-man midfield, playing in tandem with Ethan Nwaneri, while Mikel Merino held the fort.
If he is deployed further forward with fewer defensive responsibilities, we may get to see the best of him once again.
[**Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here**](https://goonernews.com/blog/arsenal-first-team-squad/)