Signings from Crystal Palace...

Transfers between the two London clubs aren't uncommon. Recent times have seen the traffic mainly from North to South, with the likes of Rob Holding, Eddie Nketiah, Yaya Sanogo, Marouane Chamakh, Ashley Cole, Andy Linighan, Sambi Lokonga and many others trade Highbury or the Emirates for Selhurst Park (some on loan).

Eberechi Eze won't be the first to go the other way though, and there is one very famous and very successful player on the list.

Eddie McGoldrick was the last player to be signed by Arsenal from Palace. At just over a million, McGoldrick was a "steady Eddie" type of winger rather than the type to excite the crowd in the manner of his predecessors like Anders Limpar and Brian Marwood. McGoldrick signed in 1993 and came on as a sub in Copenhagen when Arsenal won the Cup Winners Cup. However, he was soon very much out of favour with the signing of Glenn Helder meaning his participation was rare. A loan to Man City was made permanent in 96.

Ian Wright was 27 years old when George Graham signed him from Palace for £2.5. 2 years prior he had shone at Wembley with 2 goals off the bench in the FA Cup Final. Unlike Eze, Wrightys goalscoring wasn't enough to win Palace the trophy, but within 2 years he had the cup double with Arsenal. He had a Gazza moment in the 94 CWC semi final, missing the final but still very much in the celebrations for the final win. By 97/98, under Wenger and partnering Dennis Bergkamp, signs were clear his Arsenal career was coming to an end. Injury ruled him out of most of the second half of the season - but finally Wrighty got his hands on the PL trophy! He left for West Ham that summer, with 185 goals scored for Arsenal and 5 major honours won.

Peter Nicholas left Palace for Arsenal towards the end of the 80/81 season that saw the Eagles relegated. After a decent start, injuries took hold and by August 1983 he had returned to Palace with just 60 league appearances. He did have a memorable game in 81, as he ended up in goal during a Cup match with Spurs after injury to Pat Jennings.

One of the strangest transfers in the history of football saw Clive Allen sign for Arsenal from QPR, and then a couple of weeks later sign for Crystal Palace. Eze will hope to get the chance to play for all 3 once his deal goes through, after joining Palace from QPR.

The Allen deal to Palace saw Kenny Sansom move in the opposite direction. The young England left back proved to be a great signing - being a first team regular for Arsenal for the next 7 years and earning 86 England caps, mostly after the move. He captained Arsenal to the 1987 Littlewoods Cup win. With just shy of 400 appearances, Sansom lost his place to Nigel Winterburn and left Arsenal to join Newcastle United.

Eze will, therefore , be the fifth player Arsenal have signed from Palace post-war. If he gives us the same effort, service and joy as Sansom and Wright then we are in for a good time. Hopefully he won't be a McGoldrick!!