Crystal Palace make emphatic Eberechi Eze announcement amid intense Tottenham transfer news
Crystal Palace has made a strong statement after Tottenham accelerated their interest in Eberechi Eze this summer.
Tottenham increased efforts to sign Eze from Crystal Palace after Morgan Gibbs-White extended at Nottingham Forest.
But Spurs’ desperation to sign a number 10 became clear when James Maddison sustained an ACL injury against Newcastle during pre-season.
Negotiations with Palace were not expected to be easy. But Daniel Levy remained determined to bring Eze to Tottenham this month.
Palace makes Eze cover start in Chelsea lineup
Tottenham dominated during a 3-0 win against Burnley on Saturday, 16 August. But Palace has yet to take to the Premier League stage once again.
Initially, Eze was not expected to feature for Palace in their squad to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. But Tottenham’s negotiations with Palace for Eze have since become “difficult.”
But reports before the match indicated that Eze would start for Oliver Glasner against the Blues.
Palace has since unveiled their lineup to face Chelsea on 17 August, with Eze front and centre as their cover star. This emphatic announcement from the Eagles could indicate their intentions to retain the midfielder for another season.
- Spurs want to sign both Eze and Manchester City winger Savinho before the window closes
- The Lilywhites could also add another defender after signing both attackers
His continuation at Palace would come as a huge blow for Tottenham, who see him as the ideal Maddison replacement. It would also raise questions around Levy for allowing another player to slip through his grasp.
What stage is the Eze transfer in as it stands?
Tottenham were keen to sign Eze at the beginning of the summer and were tipped to go toe-to-toe with rivals Arsenal for his signature.
However, their interest in Gibbs-White saw the Lilywhites take the pedal off the gas. But Maddison’s injury threw Frank’s side right back into the thick of it.
Spurs are currently negotiating a deal with Palace after Eze’s release clause expired on Friday, 17 August. It is believed that the Eagles want a price similar to the reported £68million clause, while Tottenham are keen to agree a deal closer to £60m.
This is believed to be a hindrance in the negotiation process, with Palace not keen to sell the midfielder at all. As such, the Lilywhites may need to up their bid to secure the Englishman this summer.
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