'Special' - What Tottenham legends have said about Eberechi Eze ahead of transfer push
Tottenham have opened talks with Crystal Palace over a move for Eberechi Eze.
The Lilywhites were interested in the 27-year-old earlier in the summer, but moves for Mohammed Kudus and Morgan Gibbs-White allowed Arsenal to sneak ahead.
The latter ultimately did not arrive at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, however, and James Maddison's ACL injury has prompted Spurs to go back for Eze.
Negotiations are also ongoing over a move for Manchester City winger Savinho, although it is Eze who everyone is talking about now.
What have Tottenham legends said about Eze?
Eze enjoyed a superb season for Palace last season, capping off the campaign by scoring the winning goal against Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The England international has been linked with a move away several times in the last couple of years, and this summer has seen strong links to both North London clubs.
Eze had a £68m release clause in his contract at Selhurst Park that could be met this summer, but that condition was not met and has now reportedly expired.
Jermain Defoe has encouraged Tottenham to move for Eze this summer. The former Spurs striker said: "Eze is someone who, if this makes sense, is a Tottenham player. He’s someone who plays with freedom.
- Defoe made 363 appearances for Spurs over three different periods spanning from 2003 to 2014, scoring 143 goals.
"You look at the great players over the years that the club have had and technically how good he is, how confident he is, he’s another special footballer."
Another Spurs great, Chris Waddle, shared similar sentiments about a potential move for Eze last summer.
He said: "He is a great talent. I think he’d mainly be used in a wide role. He’s got pace and balance.
- Waddle made 167 appearances for Spurs between 1985 and 1989, scoring 41 goals and providing 13 assists.
"The Spurs fans would love to watch him. He’s definitely a Tottenham player. He would be a great addition to the squad."
Eze would be an exceptional signing
Eze was among the Premier League's finest midfielders last season. The England international boasts impressive underlying stats and was key for Palace as they went where no Eagles team had gone before.
For Spurs, he would likely take on the role left empty by Maddison, and the 27-year-old certainly has the right shot-creating numbers for it.
| Eberechi Eze | Premier League 2024/25 (per 90) |
| Shots total | 3.48 |
| Key passes | 2.02 |
| Passes from free kicks | 2.43 |
| Shot-creating actions | 4.69 |
Also among Eze's talents is his ability to take free kicks, with that being another facet of Maddison's game that Thomas Frank will miss in the midfielder's absence.
The former QPR man would attract a sizable fee, but his signing would send a real statement of intent throughout the Premier League.
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