Arsenal have agreed a deal worth £68 million to sign Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, completing a dramatic last-minute hijack of their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Ornstein: Arsenal Beat Spurs to Sign Eberechi Eze in £68m Move
The breakthrough was reported by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, confirming the Gunners have reached an agreement in principle with Palace.
Eze is expected to make his final appearance for Crystal Palace in their UEFA Conference League play-off against Fredrikstad on Thursday before finalizing the move.
He will then undergo a medical and complete his switch to the Emirates Stadium ahead of the September 1 transfer deadline.
The England international had been a target for both Arsenal and Tottenham, and he ultimately indicated his preference for a fresh challenge with the Gunners.
Sporting director Andrea Berta and vice-chairman Tim Lewis led the successful eleventh-hour negotiations to secure the deal.
Mikel Arteta’s pursuit of additional creativity intensified after an injury to attacker Kai Havertz.
Eze, hailed for his superb technical ability and creativity in the final third, is now set to provide a significant boost to Arsenal’s attacking options.
The move also represents a major financial gain for Crystal Palace, who signed the midfielder from Queens Park Rangers for just £19.5 million in 2020.
