Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze expected to join Arsenal after late swoop derails Spurs move
Arsenal are on the brink of completing one of the most dramatic transfer hijacks of the summer, swooping in at the last moment to sign Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze.
The 27-year-old had looked set to move across London to join Tottenham Hotspur, but Arsenal accelerated negotiations with Palace following the knee injury suffered by Kai Havertz. The German midfielder is expected to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines, forcing Mikel Arteta’s side into urgent action.
According to sources close to the deal, Arsenal have already reached an agreement in principle with Palace for a fee in the region of £68 million. Personal terms with Eze are believed to be close to finalisation, with the midfielder understood to favour a move to Emirates Stadium over the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Eze, who has been one of Palace’s most consistent performers in recent seasons, trained with his club on Thursday ahead of their UEFA Conference League play-off against Fredrikstad. Manager Oliver Glasner had publicly declared the player would start that game, but the rapid progress of Arsenal’s bid has now thrown his involvement into doubt.
The speed of Arsenal’s intervention has caught Tottenham completely off guard. Spurs had been in talks with Palace since last week and were confident of sealing the deal. But the Gunners’ last-minute push has not only disrupted their rivals’ plans but also delivered another public blow to Tottenham’s transfer reputation.
For Tottenham, the timing could not be worse. Ange Postecoglou’s side have been hit by a series of devastating injuries. James Maddison is expected to miss most of the season following a serious knee problem, while Dejan Kulusevski also faces a significant spell on the sidelines. Spurs had earmarked Eze as the perfect solution to their shortage of creativity. Missing out on him will leave the north London club scrambling for alternatives with less than two weeks until the transfer window closes on 1 September.
Arsenal’s move for Eze highlights the urgency in their camp after Havertz’s injury. The Gunners are determined to reinforce their midfield options as they prepare for another push at the Premier League title and Champions League campaign. Eze’s versatility, vision, and proven Premier League experience make him an attractive fit for Arteta’s fluid attacking system.
The deal, if completed, would also represent a huge financial coup for Palace. At £68m, it would be one of the largest transfer fees in the club’s history, though the loss of a talismanic figure so close to the season’s start will be a bitter pill for Glasner and his squad.
Fans of both Arsenal and Tottenham are watching the saga unfold in real time, with social media ablaze over the prospect of one of Palace’s brightest stars crossing the capital. For Arsenal, the move signals intent at a critical moment. For Spurs, it could mark yet another painful reminder of missed opportunities in the transfer market.
As negotiations enter the final stages, Eze is expected to undergo a medical with Arsenal on Friday. Should everything proceed smoothly, the England international will become Arsenal’s marquee signing of the summer — and the latest example of how quickly fortunes can shift in the high-stakes world of Premier League transfers.