Arsenal have decided to walk away from a deal for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, according to Graeme Bailey via TBR. The 27-year-old, who has been on the Gunners’ radar for multiple windows, will no longer be pursued this summer, with Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta now focused on reinforcing the left flank instead.
Eze, one of the Premier League’s most gifted attacking midfielders, has just two years left on his Palace deal. Chairman Steve Parish is prepared to sanction a sale for a fee north of £60 million, but Arsenal have cooled their interest after internal discussions on squad balance.
Eberechi Eze to Tottenham?
While Tottenham and Arsenal were expected to battle it out, the Gunners’ recruitment team reportedly view Eze as an out-and-out No. 10, a role they already have well covered with Martin Ødegaard, Ethan Nwaneri, and Max Dowman. The club’s immediate priority is to find a true left-winger who can challenge Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, and potentially operate as a direct outlet in a more vertical Arteta setup.
Bailey explained:
“Arsenal liked the player, but that move seems to be off for now. Spurs might consider him expensive, but I suspect they’ll try. They’ve paid that sort of money before.”
For Tottenham, the timing is perfect. James Maddison’s injury has left Thomas Frank short of a creative force in midfield, while Son Heung-min’s departure to MLS means a versatile forward like Eze could solve two problems at once, offering cover centrally and operating from the left.
From an Arsenal standpoint, the decision signals absolute clarity in their summer strategy: recruit for the wings, maintain midfield depth, and keep the No. 10 role anchored by Ødegaard. Unless there’s a late U-turn, Eze’s next step looks far more lilywhite than red and white.
