Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are locked in a transfer battle for Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze, with the north London rivals both keen to secure his signature. Spurs had been working on a deal for the 27-year-old throughout the summer, but feared they would lose out to Arsenal, who have now made a move.
Eze, who supported Arsenal as a child and spent time in their academy until his release at age 13, is seen as a perfect fit for Mikel Arteta's system. Arsenal's interest became public in late June, shortly after Tottenham's intentions were revealed. Spurs were wary of a bidding war, knowing Eze's emotional ties and Arsenal's stronger league position could sway him.
Spurs considered alternative targets, including Morgan Gibbs-White, but were blocked by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis. The situation became more urgent after James Maddison suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in pre-season, and Dejan Kulusevski remained sidelined following knee surgery. Despite these setbacks, Spurs hesitated to trigger Eze's £68m release clause, deeming it too high for a player with limited European experience.
Arsenal, who had already spent around £200m on six other signings, eventually moved for Eze without needing to raise funds through sales. The deal is expected to be worth close to the release clause, leaving Spurs to rue their hesitation. Eze's representatives, CAA Base, have close ties to Spurs, but the agency prioritises player wishes, and Eze's preference for Arsenal appears decisive.
