Eberechi Eze has made his intentions clear. Softfootball understands that the England international has informed Crystal Palace that he wants to leave Selhurst Park in order to join Tottenham Hotspur.
Personal terms between Eze and Spurs were agreed earlier this week, and the North London club are now locked in negotiations with Palace over the transfer fee.
Transfer experts Fabrizio Romano confirmed the development as he shared on his official X account that:
“The agreement between Eberechi Eze and Spurs on personal terms is done since beginning of the week.
He wants the move as Tottenham and Crystal Palace are in direct talks over fee.
#THFC confident to make it happen but work still needed.”
Spurs are confident a deal will be completed, but they are reluctant to meet Palace’s £68 million asking price. Instead, they are pushing to close the transfer at around £55m.
With negotiations ongoing, Eze is expected to be left out of Palace’s squad for their upcoming clash with Chelsea, a clear indication that a move is edging closer. The timing is crucial. Eze’s £68m release clause is due to expire on Friday, meaning Palace hold the upper hand for now.
Tottenham, however, are acting swiftly in a bid to beat Arsenal to the 27-year-old’s signature. Palace’s London rivals remain keen on the forward, but Arsenal must first offload attacking players with Leandro Trossard among those available before they can make a formal approach.
That delay has left Spurs in pole position. Newly-appointed manager Thomas Frank is desperate to reinforce his attack after losing James Maddison to a long-term knee injury and missing out on Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.
Spurs can also dangle the carrot of Champions League football, having secured their place in the competition by winning the Europa League last season.
Arsenal, though, remain a lurking threat. Despite already spending close to £200m this summer bringing in Viktor Gyökeres and Noni Madueke Mikel Arteta’s side are still believed to be Eze’s preferred destination should Palace eventually sanction his exit. For Tottenham, then, the race is very much on.
For Palace, the prospect of losing Eze, their talisman and creative heartbeat, just days before the Premier League season gathers pace, will be a bitter pill to swallow. But the player’s stance has been made clear: he wants the move, and now it’s up to the clubs to thrash out the numbers.
