Arsenal now "want to move very quickly" to sign a "special" Tottenham Hotspur target, and talks with his camp are currently ongoing, journalist Sebastien Vidal has revealed.
Gunners step up pursuit of new attacker after Lookman blow
Atalanta's Ademola Lookman handed in a transfer request earlier in the window, which could've paved the way for a move to the Emirates Stadium, but the Gunners have recently been dealt a blow in their pursuit of the London-born forward.
Consequently, Mikel Arteta's side will have to move on to alternative options, and they remain interested in signing Real Madrid star Rodrygo, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey revealing they are "waiting for a signal" from the Brazilian forward.
Tottenham are also in the race for the 24-year-old, with it recently being revealed that Thomas Frank has also approved a move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, which could be a concern for Arsenal, who are also well-known to be interested.
In fact, the Gunners have now agreed a £55m fee with Crystal Palace, with the deal edging closer to completion, although there are still a few issues to sort out, such as the structure of the installments.
As such, the door could still be open for Spurs to make a late move, which is why Arteta's side "want to move very quickly" to sign Eze, according to a recent update from Vidal on X.
The journalist states that Arsenal representatives were sent to the Community Shield final against Liverpool, in order to "maintain contact" with the 27-year-old's camp and "avoid any setbacks".
Tottenham have also identified the Palace star as a "priority" target, but a deal may not be possible for either of the north London clubs until Crystal Palace secure a replacement.
"Special" Eze would surely favour move to Arsenal
While Spurs ultimately secured Champions League qualification via their Europa League triumph, they finished 17th in the Premier League last season, which is likely to be in the back of the attacking midfielder's mind.
Arsenal, on the other hand, have been knocking on the door for the past three seasons, and having finally signed a top striker in the form of Viktor Gyokeres, this could be the year they end their long wait to win the Premier League title.
As such, the England international would surely favour a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, and barring any late hitches, it looks like the Gunners will get a deal done, which is exciting news, off the back of a very impressive 2024-25 campaign.