Arsenal, Fulham decisions allowed QPR to hit transfer jackpot | OneFootball

Decisions made by Fulham and Arsenal helped Queens Park Rangers to hit the Eberechi Eze jackpot.

It's fair to say that a number of clubs are kicking themselves over former QPR star Eberechi Eze, including Premier League sides like Arsenal and Fulham.

There is something quietly humbling about Eze’s rise to the very top of English football. In an era where academy reputations often feel as powerful as the players themselves, Eze’s journey is a reminder that development is rarely linear — and that Football League clubs continue to thrive by spotting what others have overlooked.

Released by Arsenal and Fulham but also Millwall and Reading as a youngster, Eze’s early years were defined by rejection rather than acclaim and. He was a gifted footballer, no doubt, but elite academies were overlooking him continuously. Arsenal, in particular, allowed a local talent to slip through the net and it looked understandable at the time.

In hindsight, it has become one of those decisions that quietly gnaws away. However, Fulham’s role in this story is especially striking as well. Known for having one of the most productive academies in the country in the 21st century, they made the call that Eze was not quite what they needed.

The decision from Fulham was one which was rooted in short-term assessment rather than long-term projection. Queens Park Rangers, however, saw something different.

Eberechi Eze's rise at QPR in the Championship

Joining the club from Millwall in 2016 after his release, Eze found the environment he needed at Loftus Road. QPR have long had a reputation for giving technical players freedom, and following a brief stint with Wycombe Wanderers on loan alongside Adebayo Akinfenwa, under managers willing to trust him, Eze blossomed.

In many ways, the Championship became his canvas. By the time the 2019/20 season rolled around, Eze was no longer a prospect — he was a star. Operating primarily off the left but drifting inside, or as an out-and-out No.10, he played with a confidence and personality that set him apart.

His close control in tight spaces, ability to glide past defenders, and willingness to take responsibility in big moments made him one of the most watchable players outside the Premier League — and at such a tender age as well. That season, Eze contributed goals, assists and — perhaps most importantly — belief.

QPR were not a promotion-chasing side, but every time Eze picked up the ball, Loftus Road leaned forward expectantly. It was inevitable that Premier League interest would follow for a player aged just 22 by the end of that campaign, with Eze having scored 14 and notched eight assists in 46 Championship games.

Crystal Palace’s decision to move quickly in the summer of 2020 proved decisive. Paying what was, at the time, a significant fee for a Championship player, Palace took a calculated risk. The second tier was proving to be a fruitful market for a number of clubs, and Palace were no different.

In doing so, both Palace and QPR hit the jackpot. The structure of the deal, including add-ons and sell-on clauses, exemplified exactly how smart EFL recruitment for players let go at academy level can underpin a club’s finances for years. They took a chance on Eze and reaped the rewards via his switch to Selhurst Park.

Eze’s Palace career was the natural continuation of his upward curve. Initially adapting to Premier League intensity, he has since grown into one of the division’s most effective attacking midfielders. Injuries certainly threatened to stall his momentum at one point, but his resilience has been as impressive as his talent.

Eberechi Eze's dream move to Arsenal

Now 27 and firmly at his peak, Eze is the complete modern attacker. He combines explosive ball-carrying with improved decision-making, end product, and tactical intelligence. He can operate between the lines, break low blocks, and change games with a moment of individual brilliance.

Those attributes have not gone unnoticed and were the primary reason for Palace's success in the FA Cup last season, with four goals and an assist in the competition on their way to winning it. A big game player, Eze bagged the winner in the 1-0 win over Man City back in May.

With Arsenal consistently linked as he approached his prime years, the narrative has come full circle. The boyhood Gunners fan, once deemed surplus to requirements, has forced his way back into the conversation through performances with QPR and Palace.

For QPR, this is a success story that deserves retelling. They took a chance, gave Eze minutes, trust and responsibility, and were rewarded handsomely. For Arsenal and Fulham, it is a reminder that development timelines differ — and that releasing a player too early can carry long-term consequences.

Arsenal had to shell out for Eze, having had him on their books, but he would not be the player he is now without that EFL development with QPR and Wycombe. For that, and most of all, Eze’s journey is a celebration of the Football League’s role in English football’s ecosystem.

Without those experiences, there is no current Arsenal star notching hat-tricks in North London derbies against Spurs, no England international, and no big-money return to the very club that once let him go.