Tottenham Hotspur may have just thrown a spanner in Arsenal’s transfer plans, and for that, they should brace themselves for a proper beating in the next north London derby.
Arsenal had hoped to avoid paying Eberechi Eze’s £68 million release clause. While they bided their time, working to raise funds and strike a compromise deal with Crystal Palace, Spurs forced their way into the picture. Thomas Frank’s side now want Eze too, seeing him as the ideal replacement for the injured James Maddison.
Given Eze once confessed it was his dream to play for Arsenal, you might think there would be no contest.
Spurs ready to break the bank for Eze
However, there is competition, and Spurs are reportedly so confident that they may pay well over the odds to get the deal done. Commentator Ian Darke told TottenhamHotspurNews this potential swoop “would be an absolutely fantastic signing which would excite the Tottenham fans, if they can get Eze.
“Arsenal might be in there as well, so that price is probably going to go up. He is still pretty young, a big talent, so you would think that the fee would be north of £70million.
“If you are a Tottenham fan right now, you would be hoping beyond hope that they can land him; he is an elite-level player; he is a Champions League, international-level player.”
Palace will love Spurs’ intent, Arsenal will not
Spurs’ willingness to pay over the odds does not guarantee they will win the race, but it does complicate Arsenal’s plans. The Gunners had a figure in mind, a fee they felt was fair to land the Premier League low-block killer.
If Selhurst Park get wind of a club ready to break the bank for their midfield maverick, they will likely hold firm on their £68 million valuation, a price Arsenal were not keen to meet. Arsenal may now be forced to go high to land Eze, who has been packaged as the crown jewel of their summer 2025 business.
Hopefully, Sporting Director Andrea Berta can raise funds through player sales, so Arsenal could yet go all out and win the Eze race, leaving Spurs red-faced.
This is an emotive one huh Gooners?
Daniel O
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Raising funds through player sales is irrelevant. Those will properly come when they come. We have the ability to do the deal. IF we want him, trigger the release clause now, not by Friday, now.
I’m not so sure. If Palace insist, any release clause (and I’ve lost track now if there still is one) will need to be paid in full up front. If so, that’s a lot of dosh in one go. I suspect it’s why Arsenal/Berta are trying to either negotiate other terms or waiting for player sales to boost available funds.
The unfortunate aspect here, for me, is the weeks of “just about to sign him”-type reports we’ve been fed when a deal hasn’t been imminent as we can see.
Is it just me or is this whole EZE to Arsenal thing all made up fantasy / gossip concocted by our fans and media?
Since June when I first became aware of it I have never truelly felt that Arsenal were in for him. To this day I still can’t get that feeling that Berta / Arsenal looking ar him.
It might just be my lack of instinct here.
👍👍
Goonster,
I don’t think it’s your lack of instinct. I have had the same thoughts to.
For all the talk, there’s been no concrete movement reported. So like you, I’m thinking its all fantasy as well. I hope I’m wrong though.
Probably first time I’ll agree with goonster ,but no credible reports suggested we were interested in him at all ,just media BS on this one .
And I never thought I’d end up agreeing with Deadly Derek. I agree with the article too in that it’s a fact universally acknowledged, a club with want away player needs interest from more than one suitor to force the price up. Ever seen Bargain Hunt?
There’s likely something else at play too. How much is Eze on now? How much will he be on if signs for Arsenal or Spurs, or Newcastle, etc etc. All along Eze and his agent with 2 years still on contract want the big cash in, just in same way as the “the best striker in the Prem” on 120K a week at Newcastle seeks to cash in. They need another club to make offers to their club, or stuck there, under contract, on current money. Isak would go from £120K a week to what, if he joined Liverpool?
It was never fantasy, if Eze on the move to Arsenal this summer reports driven by Eze and his agent all along.
You know what. I don’t blame them. Cash in on wages whilst your share price is high. Isak on mere £120K a week is akin to slavery.
Moon Girl,
Deadly Derek, I’ve been called many things in my life but that’s a new one. And what’s more I’ll take it. 😂👍
I don’t know, but having read reports about Eze and Arsenal from the beginning (years ago now, or it just seems like it anyway) I think that the biggest actual “link” between the two was that Eze was at Arsenal as a youngster. It’s the “return to The Emirates” line.
Yes, there have been the usual unattributed suggestions he’s either open to a move, or Arsenal is his preferred option, or whatever, but nothing “solid” as far as I can see. Quite rightly he seemed pre-occupied with picking up trophies for Palace.
It’s the momentum behind weeks of this speculation that’s produced almost a life of its own about “the move”. Now, it’s suddenly far from clear he’ll join Arsenal. The Palace player who is seems to be getting the same media treatment now is Guehi (who hasn’t been closely linked to us previously).
So, Eze likely off to spurs and Rodrygo to City, now what, apart from getting worried that is?
Crazy to let Eze go to Spurs. I do hope Arsenal know what they are doing. Odegasrds performance isn’t stable enough and Nwaneri is not at Odegaard level. Forget the spoiled Rodrygo, who isn’t Premier League proven. Eze is IMO the best Arsenal can get as the last signing in this window. We need a player with Ezes Football intelligence and creativity. Gyokeres might be so much better with at his side. To let Spurs get Eze is beyond me. It would IMO be a disaster.
We have improved the squad and don’t need him quite as much as the last two seasons, but yeah, not getting Eze is a big mistake. If he had been in the squad for the ’23/’24 season, I have little doubt we would have ended our major trophy drought.