Arsenal are reportedly planning to hijack Tottenham Hotspur’s move to sign Eberechi Eze next year, as per Football Transfers.
After displaying his qualities for Crystal Palace last term, the 26-year-old attracted a lot of attention from several upper echelons of the Premier League clubs this summer with Spurs heavily linked with a move for him.
However, the Lilywhites eventually opted not to formalise their interest and he stayed at Selhurst Park. Now, Football Transfers states that Tottenham reached a gentleman’s agreement with the player to sign him.
However, the player’s head was turned following Spurs’ rival – which is believed to be Arsenal – entered the picture and gave a suggestion to the player to reassess his options.
Eze is now keen on joining a top-four side and Mikel Arteta ‘likes’ a player like the Crystal Palace star so Arsenal are now ready to hijack Tottenham’s move to sign him. The forward has a £68m release clause included in his current contract and the clause will be reactivated next summer.
Battle
However, the report says Manchester City are also in this mix therefore the Gunners are set to face tough competition from Pep Guardiola’s side in getting any potential deal done for him.
Arsenal opted to bolster the forward department by signing Raheem Sterling from Chelsea very late on deadline day. However, the Englishman has joined the club on a season-long loan and there isn’t any option included to make the move permanent next summer.
So, he is a stopgap solution and the North London club are now planning to sign a new younger winger to strengthen the frontline. Eze is a versatile player as he can play in the left-wing position and the attacking midfield role.
He, who currently earns £100,000-a-week in salary at Selhurst Park, is a technically sound player and possesses the necessary attributes to play in Arteta’s system. He is now in prime years of his career so the Crystal Palace star would be a shrewd acquisition for Arsenal if they purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club eventually opt to make a concrete approach to secure his signature next year.
