Arsenal are ready to make an opening offer for Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, according to reports.
Mikel Arteta has welcomed six new players so far this summer and is hoping to make Eze signing number seven.
The England international has impressed in five years at Selhurst Park, most notably starring in the club’s FA Cup-winning 2024/25 campaign, scoring in the final against Manchester City.
Palace paid around £17million to Queens Park Rangers for the 27-year-old, who has scored 34 goals in 146 Premier League games for the Eagles.
He’s cemented his status as a club legend with his Wembley winner against Pep Guardiola’s men, but Eze could leave Palace in the summer transfer window, months after winning the club their first-ever major trophy.
Eze appeals to Arsenal due to his ability to play on either wing, as a No.10, or in a midfield three. Well, and, of course, because he’s very good at football.
Gunners supporters feel that Arteta should add an elite left winger to get the club over the line in the Premier League and Champions League, but player sales are necessary for that to happen.
Gabriel Martinelli would surely have to leave if Arsenal want to sign an out-and-out winger, though the sale of him or Leandro Trossard are not needed to buy Palace’s star man.
And a first bid is imminent, according to Football Transfers.
The report says Arsenal are ‘preparing a first bid’ to sign Eze, who they released from their youth academy at the age of 13.
Arteta’s side are expected to make their opening offer ‘early next week’, with the total package expected to be worth £52million.
Palace’s asking price is the player’s £68m release clause, so the offer will likely be rejected.
Arsenal will offer ‘an upfront payment of £30m’ and ‘a second instalment of £22m (€25.5m) to be paid over the next two years’, it’s believed.
The north Londoners are showing ‘no intention’ to meet the Eagles’ asking price.
Oliver Glasner’s side are ‘weighing up potential replacements’, with Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard and West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta of interest.
Arteta is happy to keep the Borussia Dortmund-linked Belgian winger, who could be ‘used as bait’ to land Eze, even if both deals are ‘likely to be conducted separately for accounting purposes’.
Despite interest in Trossard, it’s claimed that Palace’s ‘major target to replace Eze’ is West Ham’s Paqueta, who was cleared of breaching the Football Association betting rules this week.
The 27-year-old’s contract expires in 2027 and reports suggest the Hammers would be open to letting the player go for around £30m.
The report adds that a ‘sensational double swoop’ for Trossard and Paqueta is not ruled out:
Glasner has already indicated to Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish that he wants to sign Paqueta should Eze depart for north London.
West Ham are said to be open to selling the player for the right price, it is unclear what type of figure they would be willing to accept at this juncture.
Sources have indicated to FootballTransfers, meanwhile, that it has not been ruled out that Crystal Palace sign both Paqueta and Trossard in what would be a sensational double swoop for their attack.