Arsenal are now pushing ahead with a deal to sign Eberechi Eze from Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, according to reports.
The Gunners have been busy in recent weeks with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Noni Madueke joining Arsenal this summer.
And Mikel Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta are far from done with a deal for Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera set to be completed in the coming days.
While Arsenal are also in negotiations to finally bring Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres to the Emirates Stadium with the Gunners continuing to haggle over add-ons.
Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eze has been mooted as potential target if the Eagles lower their asking price, while Arsenal could also reportedly sign another winger after Madueke.
And now Football Insider claim that Arsenal are ‘accelerating plans to sign’ Eze ‘despite the addition’ of Madueke after the latter’s £52m switch from Chelsea.
It is understood that ‘the signing of the 23-year-old does not mean that Mikel Arteta’s side have ended their interest in Crystal Palace star Eze’ with Arsenal having ‘more than enough funds available to complete the signings of Viktor Gyokeres and Cristhian Mosquera, as well as bringing in another major attacking option’.
The news comes after journalist Charles Watts – who has been covering Arsenal for many years – insisted that the Gunners haven’t yet approached Palace over a deal.
Watts wrote in his Caught Offside column last week: “We know there is interest in Eberechi Eze, although at this point it is my understanding that talks have only taken place with the England international’s representatives, rather than with Crystal Palace.
“Rodrygo is another player on the club’s radar, with the Brazilian’s future at Real Madrid very much up in the air following his lack of game time at the Club World Cup.
“Out of the two, I would say Eze would be the easier deal to do, purely from a financial perspective, but I couldn’t say right now who the club will end up going up for. It would just be guesswork at this point.
“Both are players of interest, but I think it will come down to the finances involved. Arsenal have spent a lot of money already this summer, so they might need to do a bit of work now trying to balance the books a bit before completing the final piece of the jigsaw from a squad building point of view.
“So I would say that once the trio of Gyokeres, Madueke and Mosquera are through the door attention will turn to trying to move a few players on.
“With all the new arrivals the squad is suddenly looking very bloated and Andrea Berta will be looking to find takers for players like Reiss Nelson, Sambi Lokonga, Fabio Vieira and maybe Oleksandr Zinchenko.”
Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson insists that Eze would “add a new dimension” to Arsenal’s attack if he seals a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Robinson told Football Insider: “He is an unbelievable player who goes past players at will and changes games in an instant. He had some ups and downs last season but finished the season brilliantly and led Crystal Palace to their FA win.
“Would he get the same freedom at Arsenal like he does at Palace? Probably not. But he would add a new dimension to the Arsenal attack and give them a player who can create from central areas. He’s ready for a move and ready to explode.”