Arsenal star Eberechi Eze has appeared to take a cheeky swipe at former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel following the Gunners' dramatic Premier League title triumph. The North London club were officially crowned champions after Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth, handing Mikel Arteta's side an unassailable lead with just one game remaining in the season.
While Arsenal fans erupted in celebration across social media, Eze also joined the party in his own unique way by reposting a parody clip mocking Mikel's repeated criticism of Arsenal throughout the campaign. The video, initially created by London-based Nigerian content creator Moses Duckrell, had previously gone viral online for hilariously imitating the former Chelsea midfielder's comments and mannerisms during football discussions.
Eze reposts viral Mikel parody video
Duckrell first shared the parody video on April 23, 2026, and humorously portrayed Mikel as a 'sleep paralysis demon' constantly criticising various people on his Obi One podcast. One of the standout lines from the clip mocked Mikel's repeated comments about Arsenal's reliance on set pieces. 'Arsenal can only score from f*cking corners mayte,' the parody voice said while mimicking Mikel's accent and tone.
The clip became hugely popular online and even caught the attention of Mikel himself, who later reposted it on his podcast alongside co-host Chris McHardy. Reacting to the viral moment at the time, McHardy said: 'We've gone viral.' Mikel then jokingly replied: 'We have officially gone viral mayte.' McHardy added: 'By hook or by crook, we have done it.' Both men burst into laughter during the episode as they reacted to Duckrell's sensational imitation video.
However, after Arsenal eventually clinched the Premier League title, Eze appeared to revisit the moment from a completely different angle. The midfielder reposted a cropped section of the parody clip on his Instagram story, specifically highlighting the part mocking Mikel's criticism of Arsenal's attacking style, to fire playful shots at the former Chelsea star after Arsenal proved their doubters wrong in the title race.
Content creator reacts to Eze's repost
Duckrell himself admitted he was stunned to discover that Eze had shared the clip on social media. The Nigerian-heritage content creator reacted with excitement and sarcasm shortly after noticing the repost. 'When I woke up this morning I knew to expect banter from Arsenal fans and DMs but to see Eze post on his story,' Duckrell said. 'He's a player mayte. I have met him couple of times, smiling and giggling. I thought we were friends, but now he's having a focking laugh.'
Duckrell also jokingly warned that things could get even worse if Arsenal go on to win the UEFA Champions League. 'If Arsenal win that Champions League, the worst is yet to come.' Eze later responded to the creator in the comments section, writing: 'You're too funny man I swear.' The exchange quickly went viral among Arsenal supporters, many of whom enjoyed seeing one of the club's stars joining the online banter following their historic triumph.
Eze played key role in Arsenal title turnaround
Beyond the social media jokes, Eze reportedly played an important role behind the scenes during Arsenal's title-winning campaign. Sky Sports reported that Arsenal's season looked in serious danger after a painful 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth earlier in the campaign. At the time, concerns were growing over the squad's physical condition, with many players appearing mentally and physically exhausted amid the demanding schedule.
According to The Independent, Mikel Arteta responded by increasing the intensity of training sessions even further, but it was Eze who reportedly eventually stepped in with an honest conversation that helped change the atmosphere inside the camp. The midfielder reportedly told Arteta that while the players still believed they could win the title, they desperately needed more recovery time physically.
Arteta is said to have listened carefully as training intensity was reduced, players received more rest days, and the atmosphere around the squad improved significantly in the final weeks of the season. The Independent added that Arteta gave the players three days off before the title was secured and organised a barbecue gathering to help the squad relax together. The changes eventually paid off as Arsenal held their nerve to finally dethrone Manchester City and win their first Premier League crown in more than two decades.
Arsenal set for huge financial reward
Legit.ng earlier reported that Arsenal are expected to receive between £176 million and £178 million following their Premier League title success this season. The Gunners are guaranteed a baseline payment of £96.9 million, which includes domestic television rights, international broadcast revenue and central commercial payments. Arsenal could also earn additional income through merit payments and commercial bonuses after finally ending Manchester City's dominance in English football.
