Tottenham Hotspur are in pole position to sign Eberechi Eze, getting one over their north London rivals Arsenal who have reportedly targeted the Crystal Palace star for a long time.
It’s not (yet) confirmed, but it appears increasingly certain that Spurs will pull off something of a coup in signing Eze, long established as a potential difference-maker for an elite club. He wouldn’t be the first.
Here are six of the most notable names who opted for Tottenham over the Gunners – and the stories behind their choices.
Stephen Carr
Academy graduate Carr made over 250 first-team appearances for his boyhood club, but he could’ve chosen Arsenal’s Hale End academy as a youngster instead.
“When I joined, I had the choice to play for Spurs or Arsenal, but I just felt Spurs was very homely,” reminisced the former Spurs stalwart in an interview with The Spurs Web.
“At that time, the training ground at Mill Hill wasn’t as fancy as Arsenal’s training ground, but I just found it more real. I ended up staying for 12 years and I loved every minute of it.
“I was around a squad that had a lot of managers come and go at Tottenham but the fans were unbelievable. We had a quality stadium, too.
“Obviously, now it’s a completely different level, it’s gone ridiculous, but it just felt homely for me. I felt at home coming from Dublin, I just felt the transition was quite easy.”
Richarlison
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners made an approach to sign Richarlison during the summer of 2022, when he was one of the most highly-rated strikers outside the Premier League’s traditional ‘big six’.
But Spurs, who pipped their rivals to Champions League qualification that year, acted more decisively to get a deal over the line.
“I know Chelsea made an offer, and I believe Arsenal also contacted Everton to ask about my situation, but Spurs came in and paid the fee, you know? It’s as simple as that,” Richarlison told reporters in Brazil, shortly after signing for Spurs.
“Everton had to sell some players to avoid a Financial Fair Play problem, and the negotiations were very brief, to be honest.
“I was on holiday in Brazil when I heard that Tottenham had made Everton an offer. I was happy because they are a huge team.
“Then it was all about the clubs negotiating a deal, and fortunately, everything went well.
“Antonio Conte called me during the negotiations and expressed how much he’d like to have me on board – that was vital for my decision.”
Arsenal instead signed Richarlison’s Selecao team-mate – and rival for the starting spot up top – Gabriel Jesus.
The two Brazilians have shown flashes of brilliance but ultimately struggled for form and fitness at their respective clubs.
You’d have to say that Richarlison looks the likelier to make an impact in 2025-26, given his eye-catching brace against Burnley and Jesus’ long-term ACL woe.
Benoit Assou-Ekkoto
Assou-Ekotto gives by far the best answer for choosing Spurs over Arsenal.
“Do you know why I didn’t sign for Arsenal?” Assou-Ekotto revealed years later.
“I asked my agent: ‘Do they go to the hotel before matches? He said yes, they do. I said I’m not going there. I want to have a life, not live in a hotel.’
“Then he told me that Tottenham didn’t do that, so I said ‘Cool, we’ll go to Tottenham!’
“What’s more, Arsenal were playing in the European Cup, which meant you weren’t at home four days a week!”
Remarkably on brand for a footballer who was famously not at all arsed about football. Never change, Benoit.
Jan Vertonghen
Vertonghen had talks with Arsene Wenger before deciding that Tottenham offered a better fit for how he saw his own strengths.
“Arsenal was also concrete, but they wanted to make me a midfield controller, an Emmanuel Petit type,” Vertonghen told Dutch outlet NU.
“I’m not afraid of competition, but the overall picture of Spurs appealed to me more.”
The Belgian signed for Tottenham in 2012 and made over 300 appearances over an eight-year spell. He proved himself one of the club’s best centre-backs of the Premier League era.
Probably a good thing he wasn’t thrown into Arsenal’s ailing midfield engine room in Wenger’s latter years, then.
Clinton Njie
Cameroonian winger Njie never quite lived up to expectations, but he was coveted by top clubs across Europe a decade ago after breaking through at Lyon.
He chose Spurs in large part due to Mauricio Pochettino’s impressive track record for developing young talent.
“I was never scared that my transfer to Tottenham would not be confirmed,” Njie told French paper L’Equipe.
“I never spoke to Arsenal representatives on the phone, they simply contacted my agent. My choice was made, I was determined to join Tottenham.
“Here, I will be working under Mauricio Pochettino, a manager who plays youngsters and allows them to progress.”
Unfortunately, it never quite worked out for Njie at Spurs and he won’t go down as one of Pochettino’s success stories. He only made a handful of appearances before returning to France with Marseille.
The 32-year-old is currently without a club and was last seen turning out in Romania for Rapid Bucuresti.
Emerson Royal
Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol revealed that Arsenal were interested in the Brazilian full-back, but his heart was set on a move to Spurs in 2021.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo later corroborated those reports.
Fair to say, Mikel Arteta might consider this one a bullet dodged given how Emerson flattered to deceive for their rivals. Nowadays he’s back in Brazil, turning out for Flamengo.
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