Manchester United Legend Paul Scholes Heaps Praise on Arsenal Star
Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes has made a stunning prediction about Arsenal's summer signing Eberechi Eze, claiming the attacker is on course to become a '£100m player'. This endorsement comes hot on the heels of Eze's historic performance in the north London derby on Sunday, where his hat-trick powered Arsenal to a emphatic 4-1 victory over rivals Tottenham.
Eze's Derby Day Heroics Seal Place in Arsenal Folklore
The 27-year-old playmaker wrote his name into the history books by becoming the first Arsenal player in 47 years to score a hat-trick in this fierce local rivalry. This remarkable treble was a sudden explosion of form, as Eze had only managed two goals in his previous 15 appearances for the Gunners since his £60m move from Crystal Palace.
The victory was made even sweeter for the Arsenal faithful by the context of the transfer. Eze had been on the verge of joining Tottenham last summer before Arsenal hijacked the deal, making his match-winning performance against his almost-club a poetic twist of fate.
Scholes and Butt Laud Eze's Humble Superstar Potential
Speaking on 'The Overlap' podcast, Scholes didn't hold back in his admiration for the England international. 'He just seems like a nice person, doesn't he? There's nothing cocky about him, he's just a brilliant footballer,' Scholes remarked. He identified goal-scoring as the final piece in Eze's game, stating, 'When he goes to a club like Arsenal he has to start winning games for them. He needs to win games and points for Arsenal and he's doing that now. If he can do that consistently he's a £100m player.'
Scholes was not alone in his praise. His former United teammate, Nicky Butt, was equally impressed, describing Eze as a 'superstar in the making'. Butt noted, 'Everyone says he's a really nice, humble lad. He looked like a real superstar in the making. It took him a while to get going at Arsenal but the talent is definitely there.'
Title Race Heats Up as Arsenal Establish Commanding Lead
The resounding derby win had significant implications for the Premier League table, sending Arsenal six points clear at the summit. This advantage was bolstered by defeats for both Manchester City and Liverpool over the same weekend.
Scholes, an 11-time Premier League winner, now believes the Gunners are poised to end their long wait for a league title. 'Arsenal look good,' he said. 'Even though it's still early, they look like they're going to win it. They looked like a proper team against Spurs, they've looked soft before but that's gone now.'
However, Nicky Butt offered a note of caution, suggesting that the reigning champions, Manchester City, are not out of the race yet. 'We might be sat here in a few weeks time and think Man City are right back in it,' Butt commented. 'I still think Man City come back into it but they've got to stop giving silly goals and results away. It will be one of those two.'
The title credentials of Mikel Arteta's side will be put to the test immediately, with a crucial London derby against second-placed Chelsea this weekend. First, Arsenal must navigate a Champions League group stage clash against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.
