Arsenal told they need ‘more’ than Eberechi Eze to win the Premier League title as new Gunners signing is warned of ‘different pressures’

Former Crystal Palace and West Ham defender James Tomkins has issued a warning to Arsenal that the high-profile signing of Eze may not prove to be the difference between finishing second and first. The Gunners shocked the football world by hijacking north London rivals Tottenham's expected signing of Eze, with the attacking midfielder hailed as the missing link in Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's Premier League ambitions. But Tomkins believes the club need even more to take the giant leap to becoming champions. 

Arsenal will become the first Premier League side to come second four times in a row if they finish runners up again. While Arteta has turned the club from also-rans into genuine title contenders since he took over, they always fall at the final hurdle. They finished ten points behind last season's title winners Liverpool but the arrival of Eze and the nature of how they snatched him right from under Spurs' nose has put a real spring in Arsenal's step.

Speaking to Boyle Sports, who offer the latest Premier League betting odds, Tomkins said: “He's gone there and he's going to be good for Arsenal, I'm sure. But I think it will take more than just him to win the league now. I do think he will be a big player this year. I think he'll probably need a few games just to kind of get into it, a different style of play, different team, different pressures. He was probably a big fish at Crystal Palace. 

"Now he's maybe not as highly regarded as he was at Palace, not the number one player there, whereas everyone was looking at him for goals and everything last season. I think it will just be, again, interesting to see him in the important games. He'll be in the Champions League, and he'll be playing a lot more games this year. It might take a toll on him as well. I think Arsenal are going to be a big threat this year. They could possibly be in the top two; it's just whether they'll go over the line this year. We haven’t seen it the last couple of seasons, so let's see."

Eze was brought in on account of his proven Premier League pedigree alongside the unfortunate injury to Kai Havertz. Arsenal have struggled often to break down teams whose sole aim is to stop them playing, particularly at the Emirates, and Eze's job will be to unlock those defences.