Arsenal and Tottenham Face Setback as Eberechi Eze Commands Record-Breaking Price Tag
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur might need to postpone their pursuit of Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze until the transfer window's final stages, as the Eagles are determined to retain their key attacker for this month's crucial Conference League qualifying matches.
Despite the club's strong objections, the Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed Palace's Europa League suspension, meaning the FA Cup winners were relegated to the Conference League while Nottingham Forest secured their spot in the second-tier European competition.
Palace's participation in the main tournament isn't even assured. The Eagles must overcome a two-legged playoff against either Denmark's FC Midtjylland or Norway's Fredrikstad. Between the opening leg at Selhurst Park on Aug. 21 and the return fixture seven days later, Palace face a challenging encounter with Nottingham Forest (Aug. 24).
Accepting their reduced circumstances, the Eagles are determined to maximize their opportunity and plan to field Eze for these three pivotal matches, according to The Telegraph.
This postponement might not derail either interested party's plans. Both north London rivals are anticipated to require additional time for player sales before finalizing a move for the 27-year-old.
Tottenham have reportedly intensified their interest in Eze recently, though no official proposal has been submitted. Neither Spurs nor Arsenal, who haven't formalized their pursuit of the attacking midfielder with a concrete offer, are likely to meet Friday's deadline for activating Eze's £60 million ($81.4 million) buyout clause, hoping instead to negotiate a lower price.
The Telegraph reports that Palace has set a club-record valuation for Eze that will significantly exceed the £50 million Bayern Munich paid for Michael Olise last summer.
Spurs are simultaneously working on a separate acquisition of Manchester City's Savinho, who is expected to command a similar price tag. Whether Thomas Frank's team can finance both signings remains uncertain, though exits for players like Richarlison, Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil would facilitate the process.
Arsenal have already invested over £192 million in new signings this summer, acquiring Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyökeres to bolster their attacking options. However, there might still be space for a creative talent like Eze in Mikel Arteta's structured system, especially if Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard departs this summer.