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This season has been full of highs and lows for Eberechi Eze since his £60 million transfer from Crystal Palace to Arsenal last summer.

The creative midfielder has shown flashes of brilliance — especially in the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur — but his form has not been consistently at the level many supporters anticipated.

Nevertheless, if Arsenal aim to lift either the Premier League or the Champions League trophy this season, Eze’s influence could be crucial to their ambitions.

The England international is currently sidelined with a calf injury sustained during Arsenal’s clash with Bayer Leverkusen on 17 March.

Due to this setback, he missed the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, Arsenal’s unexpected FA Cup exit against Southampton from the Championship, and their narrow 1-0 win over Sporting in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final earlier this week.

When asked recently for an update on Eze’s recovery, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta commented, “Ebs is out. With Ebs I don't know because he's a special character.”

As Arsenal prepare for their early Premier League kick-off against Bournemouth on Saturday, it remains uncertain whether Eze will feature. The match could come just a bit too soon for his return.

According to a report from The Independent earlier this week, Eze is being targeted for a comeback in the second leg against Sporting next week.

Given Arsenal’s current midfield depth — with Martin Odegaard now back from injury — the club is unlikely to take unnecessary risks by rushing Eze back into action.

However, his vision and ability to create something out of nothing would certainly add an extra dimension to Arsenal’s attack, especially as the team has struggled to convert chances in recent games.

If Eze does manage to return for the second leg against Sporting, it could prove perfect timing. Following that Champions League fixture, Arsenal face a massive Premier League showdown against Manchester City — a game that could play a decisive role in the title race.

Having Eze fit for such a crucial run of matches would be a major boost for Mikel Arteta’s side. For now, though, the focus remains on helping him regain full fitness ahead of the upcoming fixtures against Bournemouth and Sporting.