Eberechi Eze mural vandalised ahead of Arsenal vs Leeds as Tottenham transfer hijacked
Tottenham have faced embarrassment in recent days after their pursuit of Eberechi Eze was hijacked by bitter rivals Arsenal.
Spurs were in talks with Crystal Palace over a deal for Eze for weeks, but with the move on the brink of completion, Arsenal swooped in to steal their former academy starlet from under Tottenham’s noses.
Many Tottenham fans are furious, both at Daniel Levy after another transfer blunder, but at the player after he rejected their interest in favour of a move to Arsenal.
The rivalry between Spurs and the Gunners has always been heated, but this transfer has sparked even more venom between the sides, and some Tottenham fans have now seemingly taken action.
Eberechi Eze mural near Emirates Stadium vandalised
While Eze’s pending move to Arsenal has not yet been announced, their fans have already created a mural painting of the attacking midfielder in a tunnel near the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal and Tottenham are just 6.4 kilometres apart, and there will be Spurs fans living near the Emirates who would have had to walk past it every day.
However, the mural has now been destroyed overnight, with Eze’s face blanked out with white paint, and there was a controversial nickname used by Spurs supporters spray-painted on it.
Arsenal take on Leeds United in the late Saturday kick-off on 23 August.
| Date | H/A | Result |
| 15 January 2025 | A | 2-1 Loss |
| 15 September 2024 | H | 1-0 Loss |
| 28 April 2024 | H | 3-2 Loss |
| 24 September 2023 | A | 2-2 Draw |
| 15 January 2023 | H | 2-0 Loss |
One Arsenal fan shared a picture of the mural on X and described the vandalism as “pathetic”.
https://x.com/Masaka83/status/1959153189011562852Tottenham’s rivalry with Arsenal even more heated now
Spurs and Arsenal have always been bitter enemies, but some believe the hatred in the derby may have slightly lessened in the last two or three years.
Tottenham’s poor recent North London derby record may have played a part, with no competitive wins in the fixture since 2022.
Arsenal fans found themselves supporting Tottenham against Manchester City in 2024, a game which saw Spurs lose and ultimately cost them the Premier League title.
While vandalism cannot be condoned, it is clear to see that the events surrounding Eze’s transfer have refuelled the sheer hatred between the two clubs and fanbases, and the midfielder is sure to receive a hostile reception from Spurs fans in the next North London derby.
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