Arsenal, Tottenham Compete for £68m Crystal Palace Midfielder Eberechi Eze

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are competing to sign Crystal Palace and England midfielder Eberechi Eze, who has a £68 million release clause in his contract. Eze, 26, has been a standout performer for Palace since 2020, scoring 40 goals and providing 28 assists, with a notable winning goal in the 2024 FA Cup final. Arsenal view Eze as a more affordable alternative to Real Madrid's Rodrygo and are actively engaging with Eze's representatives, although they remain focused on signing a central striker, with targets including RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko and Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres. Tottenham, under new manager Thomas Frank, are also keen to strengthen their attack and value Argentina defender Cristian Romero at over £60 million. Both clubs recognize the challenge of meeting Eze's release clause and contract demands, especially as Palace chairman Steve Parish was previously surprised by the lack of interest in Eze during the prior transfer window. Meanwhile, Arsenal are advancing other signings, including midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, and are interested in Spanish defender Christian Mosquera.