Eberechi Eze is expected to sit out Crystal Palace’s Premier League season opener against Chelsea on Sunday as Tottenham Hotspur intensify their pursuit of the England international in a potential £68 million deal.
Sources close to the 27-year-old playmaker believe he will not feature at Stamford Bridge, with negotiations between the North London club and Palace continuing over a move that could see Eze finally realise his Champions League ambitions. Though an agreement has yet to be finalised, there is growing optimism that a deal can be struck in the coming days.
Tottenham’s desperate need for creative reinforcement has become acute following James Maddison’s devastating anterior cruciate ligament injury during pre-season. The England midfielder ruptured his ACL in his right knee during a friendly against Newcastle United in Seoul on 7 August, leaving new manager Thomas Frank facing an immediate crisis in his attacking options.
“It’s disappointing but also devastating for me and mainly for Madders that he’s out of the team,” Frank said after Spurs’ pre-season defeat to Bayern Munich. We will miss him and no doubt he will miss playing football.
Maddison, who underwent surgery last week, faces a minimum eight-month recovery period and could miss the entire 2025-26 campaign. The 28-year-old’s injury came just nine minutes after being introduced as a substitute, with medical staff confirming it was to the same knee that had troubled him at the end of last season.
The timing could hardly be worse for Frank, who only took charge at Tottenham in June after leading Brentford to a tenth-place Premier League finish. The Danish manager had already identified the need for a new number 10 even before Maddison’s injury, but the ACL blow has transformed that requirement from important to urgent.
Spurs initially targeted Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, triggering his £60 million release clause in July. However, that pursuit ended in acrimony when Forest threatened legal action over what they claimed was an illegal approach, with owner Evangelos Marinakis shutting down all communication with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
“There was significant interest from various clubs, but we were determined to build our future with Morgan at the heart of it,” Marinakis said after Gibbs-White eventually signed a new three-year contract at the City Ground.
With the Gibbs-White avenue closed, Tottenham have turned their attention to Palace’s talismanic midfielder. Eze, who scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 appearances last season, has been a long-term target for the North London club and is understood to be keen on the move.
The player is keen to join so he can realise his dream of playing Champions League football,” a source familiar with the negotiations revealed.
The England international demonstrated his quality against Tottenham last May, scoring twice in Palace’s victory just a week before netting the FA Cup final winner against Manchester City. His versatility in being able to operate centrally or from the left wing makes him an attractive proposition for Frank’s system.
Arsenal’s interest in Eze has reportedly cooled following Ethan Nwaneri’s new contract at the Emirates. “The Gunners see Eze, who can play wide left, as primarily a No. 10, where they already have Martin Odegaard and Nwaneri,” according to sources close to the North London club.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner had hoped both Eze and captain Marc Guehi would be available for Sunday’s trip to Chelsea. Speaking earlier this week, the Austrian attempted to play down speculation about his star players’ futures.
“Marc has trained the entire week with us, every single training session, the same with Ebs,” Glasner said. “They’ve prepared the best way for the Chelsea game on Sunday afternoon.”
However, the Palace boss acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the transfer window. “I’ve been in the football business for too long, so I know that at any time of any day, things can happen. If you ask me now, I expect both Marc and Ebs to start on Sunday.”
That expectation now appears optimistic regarding Eze, with the midfielder’s representatives in advanced discussions with Tottenham officials. The proposed £68 million fee would represent a significant investment for Spurs, but one deemed necessary given their Champions League ambitions and the gaping hole left by Maddison’s injury.
For Palace, losing Eze would be a significant blow to their own ambitions under Glasner. The former Queens Park Rangers player has been instrumental in the Eagles’ recent success, combining technical brilliance with consistent end product.
Tottenham’s need for reinforcement extends beyond just replacing Maddison. The departure of Heung-min Son to Los Angeles FC has further depleted their attacking options, while Dejan Kulusevski continues his recovery from knee surgery performed in May.
Frank has already made one significant attacking addition this summer with the £55 million signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United. However, the Danish manager recognises the need for additional creative options as Spurs prepare to juggle Premier League and Champions League commitments.
The potential arrival of Eze would represent a statement of intent from Tottenham’s hierarchy, demonstrating their commitment to backing Frank despite the controversial decision to sack Europa League-winning manager Ange Postecoglou in June.
As Sunday’s fixtures approach, all eyes will be on team sheets at Stamford Bridge. Should Eze be absent as expected, it would represent the clearest indication yet that one of the summer’s most protracted transfer sagas is nearing its conclusion.
For Crystal Palace, the challenge will be finding an adequate replacement for a player who has become synonymous with their recent progress. For Tottenham, securing Eze’s signature would provide Frank with the creative catalyst needed to navigate what promises to be a challenging debut season in North London.
With the transfer window remaining open until the end of August, both clubs will be keen to resolve the situation swiftly, allowing them to focus on their respective campaigns ahead.
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Image Credit (Shortened):
Eberechi Eze in action for QPR (6 Jan 2018) – by Jrppezza, licensed under CC BY‑SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
