Football365

There’s a top-of-the-table Premier League clash to enjoy at the earliest possible opportunity, while the Bundesliga’s brave new broadcasting era has us briefly intrigued.

Game to watch: Manchester City v Tottenham

The fixture computer has blessed us with a top-of-the-table clash at the earliest possible moment. Unless you consider Arsenal v Aston Villa on the very opening day such a thing, in which case you’re a damn fool. Even more so if you’re going to start indulging AFC Bournemouth and their Acme shenanigans in such alphabet-based nonsense.

No, the second weekend of the season is the first time such a thing can legitimately happen, when you have a whole one game’s worth of compelling evidence of how the entire season might look, as long as every other team in the league is roughly as bad as Wolves and/or Burnley.

Embryonic league table whimsy aside, it’s still a fascinating game. Historically, City v Spurs is already a fixture simply not to be missed by anyone for any reason. It has delivered goals, goals, goals and a frankly absurd number of pants-pullings by silly old Spurs.

Last season’s 4-0 splattering was Spurs at their Angeball best against City in the very deepest depths of their astonishing season-wrecking autumn funk, but the wildest thing about that result is that it is only very slightly an outlier.

Working backwards from that game, the Etihad encounters between these two during the Pep era have finished 0-4, 3-3, 4-2, 2-3, 3-0, 2-2, 1-0, 4-1 and 2-2. And let’s not forget that ludicrous Champions League quarter-final second leg in 2019, which City actually won 4-3 on the night as Spurs went through on away goals.

It has been as close to guaranteed entertainment as the Premier League can offer. We’ve run it through the supercomputer and this fixture has the highest xN (expected nonsense) stats of any in the entire Barclays universe.

And yet even without the fact it’s a top-of-the-table clash with sky-high xN values, it would still be the game of the weekend anyway for actual reasons. City looked a million dollars against Wolves last weekend, while Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison looked like absolute world-beaters for Spurs against Burnley.

There were hugely encouraging signs for both teams’ seasons. But the phrases ‘against Wolves’ and ‘against Burnley’ mean care must be taken. We don’t yet really know how much of what we saw last weekend was these teams being good and those teams being rubbish. We have an inkling about which victory/performance was the more reliable long-term indicator, but we don’t yet know.

We should have a far clearer idea about both teams after this game, even if it is one that itself has recent history for deception.

Spurs, because they are Spurs, come into this game on the back of a week where they’ve once again decided to subject their fans to another of their trademark ritual humiliations for sh*ts and giggles, while also taking the bold step of unsettling and alienating the striker who scored two brilliant goals for them on the opening weekend. There really is nobody else who does it like Spurs do.

But we already have a decent clue as to how Thomas Frank might set them up for this one. The Super Cup final ended in disappointment but for 85 minutes Frank’s 3-5-1-1 really did work strikingly well and if we’re honest we suspect Spurs would cheerfully take a 2-2 draw from this one.

In a way, the transfer failings of this week and the summer as a whole make Frank’s job easier for this specific game. He can’t be accused of going too defensive when he has literally no No. 10 anyway.

There seems no reason not to go to City and try the triple-pivot midfield that made life so awkward for PSG in Udine, while who doesn’t want to see Kevin Danso launching long throws at John Stones’ head?

For City, it’s also a bit of a free hit in its ridiculous way. A sterner test than poor denuded Wolves could provide, surely, and one where a compelling victory would lay down a significant early-season marker about just how back they might be. But also one in which failure can just be shrugged off and put down to xN.

READ: Ranking all 97(!) players left out of opening Premier League matchday squads by how p*ssed off they might be

Player to watch: Eberechi Eze

A good way to endear yourself to a new club’s fanbase is to have completely pied off their biggest rivals along the way. Emmanuel Petit knew it. Willian knew it. Eden Hazard knew it. But perhaps nobody has ever known it quite like Eberechi Eze, who kept Spurs on the hook until Arsenal’s time of need was upon them.

Spurs must have known this could happen, and that it would look just awful – especially in the wake of the Morgan Gibbs-White fiasco. We do think Eze would have joined Spurs, but we do think it would only have happened once he was absolutely definitely certain Arsenal weren’t coming back.

The whole ‘Oh he just wants to play in the Conference League qualifier to help Palace out before he leaves’ turned out to be the bullsh*t it always appeared to be, a convenient way to drag a transfer out even when dealing with the arch transfer-dragger-out himself in Daniel Levy.

The result is Eze being an absolute hero to Arsenal fans before he’s even kicked a ball for them. It’s a lovely place to be. And it’s distinctly possible he still won’t kick a ball this weekend, but he’s still going to be the player to watch.

He’ll surely at the very least be presented to the crowd before Arsenal’s opening home game of the season against Leeds, and should help ensure a buoyant atmosphere. There will be songs. There will be p*ss-taking. There will be endless shots of Eze in the stands watching on and penny-for-his-thoughtsing from the commentators.

And that’s the worst-case scenario. That’s if he doesn’t play. Imagine if he does.

READ: Eberechi Eze might be Arsenal’s Bruno Fernandes or Mo Salah

Team to watch: Manchester United

There was a lot to like about Manchester United’s performance against Arsenal on the opening weekend, but any optimism from that narrow, unfortunate defeat will dissipate quickly if they don’t get a result at Fulham this weekend.

United were simply unready and unprepared for the start of the new season, still stuck with the same utter absence of reliable goalkeepers. It is staggering to us how often really big clubs do this. The window may be open until September 1, but the start of the season is in mid-August, and those games do still count. It wasn’t sprung on United with no notice.

Another week has passed and nothing has been done to address the most obvious and glaring of issues.

Fulham were as lucky to nab a point at Brighton as United were unlucky to walk away with nothing against Arsenal, but they represent a deeply awkward second fixture given the way the first one has gone.

Fulham away is nobody’s idea of an easy game. It is not one where victory would normally necessarily be mandatory. But for United, after last season and the way the opening weekend panned out, it already feels like one where the result is of far greater importance than performance.

This is Manchester United Football Club We’re Talking About. You can’t be taking the positives if you find yourself with one point or worse from two games after finishing 15th the previous season and when the flaws in your squad are and remain so very, very obvious.

Manager to watch: David Moyes

It will be a proud moment when Moyes leads his Everton team out against Brighton for the first ever Premier League match at their magnificent new stadium, but one that he surely approaches now with a touch of trepidation.

The wave of optimism he and Everton rode on his return to the club last season has crashed, and Monday night’s effort at Leeds was a pretty pitiful one for an established Premier League club against a newly-promoted one.

Everton were passive and ponderous, allowing Leeds to set the tone and tempo of the game throughout. It nearly delivered a point – although for what it’s worth we simply cannot understand the fuss around the penalty given the way James Tarkowski moved his arm towards a ball coming at him from such a distance – but it wasn’t exactly a showing to inspire confidence for the season ahead.

A new stadium is blessing and curse, with home advantage no longer quite the familiar helping hand it once was as everyone gets used to the new surroundings. Yet Everton and Moyes cannot afford to make a slow start to life on the docks if the club is to avoid the kind of worries and anxiety that have been all too common in recent Premier League seasons.

Football League game to watch: Charlton v Leicester

It’s not been a convincing start to life back in the Championship for Leicester, who needed a late goal to beat existential dread’s Sheffield Wednesday at home and then lost at Preston having also gone out of the Carabao to League One Huddersfield.

Charlton, meanwhile, are at this early stage faring rather better on their own return to the second tier from the other direction having beaten Watford, drawn with Bristol City and avoided Carabao banana skins (their newest flavour of surely deliberately undrinkably unpleasant energy drink).

European game to watch: Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig

We don’t normally include Friday night games in here, but come on. Bayern v Leipzig would be a fine opening night Bundesliga game in a regular season. But now it comes with added Mark Goldbridge. You have to admit you’re intrigued.

You can watch it on the BBC as well if you like, or on YouTube. But out of sheer morbid fascination if nothing else we’ll be watching to see just how and how quickly the world’s most Deliberate Partridge performatively perma-furious internet ragebaiter manages to make Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig all about Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir.

Just this once. And then never again.

Manchester United have reportedly given Tottenham the ‘green light’ to come back into the frame for Alejandro Garnacho, as they fear gifting Chelsea a cut-price signing.

United need to sell some of their players if they are to sign anybody more this summer. They have spent north of £200million, on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Diego Leon.

However, no transfer fees have come in yet, with only Marcus Rashford from the United bomb squad exiting, and the first chance for the Red Devils to receive a fee from him is in the summer, as his move to Barcelona is originally a loan.

Other players expected to be pushed out are Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia.

However, attempts to push Garnacho out have so far proven futile. Ruben Amorim does not get on with him, and is ready to let him go, but United want £50million for that transfer, and main suitors Chelsea are willing to pay just £30million.

But according to GIVEMESPORT, United are hoping Tottenham will choose to re-enter the race for the winger.

Indeed, the Red Devils are said to have given Spurs ‘thee green light to come back into the frame’ to sign Garnacho, as there are fears they will be forced to allow him to join Chelsea for a cut-price fee if no other suitors come forward.

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United’s eagerness for Spurs to re-enter the race for Garnacho might not be misplaced, as the north London outfit have missed out on signing Eberechi Eze in recent days.

Tottenham thought they had almost got the move over the line, before Arsenal came out of nowhere to hijack them and secure Eze for themselves.

As a result, Tottenham are being linked with a lot of attacking midfielders and wingers. In the last day, that list includes Nicolas Jackson, Nico Paz, Tyler Dibling, Xavi Simons and Morgan Rogers.

But Rogers could cost north of £80million, with Jackson valued in the region of £60million, so a move for Garnacho should certainly be cheaper.

The United winger is known to be keen on remaining in the Premier League, too, though Chelsea is said to be his favoured destination.

If they cannot agree a deal with United and Spurs can, though, the Argentine might have little choice, knowing if he stays at United he’ll only be watching on from the stands.

Tottenham have reportedly made an Aston Villa star their ‘priority target’ and have made contact in regards to his signing, which could cost an astronomical fee.

Spurs spent much of the last couple of weeks attempting to land Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. Their attacking third needed freshening up after selling Son Heung-min and losing James Maddison to injury.

Eze could have been perfect for Tottenham, but while they thought the move was about to be pulled off, they lost out to rivals Arsenal, who came out of nowhere to hijack Spurs’ move for him.

Now, with not long left in the summer window, the north London club are attempting to find an attacking asset to add to their side.

Miguel Delaney reports in The Independent that Spurs have made Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers – who just won the PFA young player of the year – their ‘priority target’.

What’s more, contact has already been made with intermediaries to see if a deal is possible.

Villa don’t want to sell Rogers, after his eight goals and 11 assists in the Premier League last season, but the report states there’s a feeling a ‘proper bid might change things’.

But the bid for Rogers is likely to be far north of what Eze was going to cost. His Arsenal transfer is going through for £67.5million, suggesting Tottenham would have paid in the same region.

But Rogers is expected to cost ‘considerably more’ than the Palace man, with figures of £80million being mentioned, and the bid ‘might have to go even higher’ to make Villa think.

But with increasing pressure on Tottenham, they might be forced to bite the bullet. Indeed, Mohammed Kudus is the only big name who’s been signed by the north London club this summer. He had a great start to life at Tottenham, assisting twice on his debut for them.

MORE ON TOTTENHAM FROM F365:

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👉 Tottenham knew Eze deal ‘wasn’t quite right’ but thought it was ‘done’ before Arsenal hijack

👉 Tottenham boost as £30m ‘agreement close’ amid ‘upped efforts’ to ‘beat Liverpool to signing’

But Spurs also missed out on signing Morgan Gibbs-White and Eze, so fans will be itching for their side to sign a star to make them a more competitive side than the one which finished 17th in the Premier League last term.

They are attempting to make one other attacking signing. Interest in Maghnes Akliouche has been reported of late, and Delaney states Tottenham ‘ideally’ want to get the Monaco attacker and one other forward in this summer.

Whether that happens, and whether Rogers is the other man, remains to be seen, as the report also mentions interest in Tyler Dibling and Xavi Simons.

Meanwhile, some are said to believe a move for Como’s Nico Paz would be the most achievable.

Tottenham have been slammed by a pundit as they have made one of their own stars “unhappy” in their futile attempts to land Eberechi Eze.

Spurs have lost Son-heung Min, who has left for LAFC, and James Maddison through injury of late. As such, they are hopeful of landing a new talent to improve their attack.

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who can play both as an attacking midfielder and a winger, was their favoured target of late.

Though they thought the deal was close to being agreed, it stuttered and north London rivals Arsenal have swooped in to snatch the England star.

At the latter stages, it was suggested that in order to get the deal done, Tottenham would be willing to offer up Richarlison to Palace.

But with the deal not going through and Eze now going to Arsenal, pundit Gabby Agbonlahor believes Spurs have created an issue for themselves.

“Do you know what is worse, there were reports last night that Spurs wanted to include Richarlison in the deal,” he said on talkSPORT.

“If you’re Richarlison, you have just scored two screamers, and you’re hearing you could be included in a deal. Now, you have an unhappy Richarlison as well and an unhappy Eze. There’s probably nobody now available for them to go and get to fill that [James] Maddison role, disappointing.”

Indeed, it might not be good for Richarlison’s confidence to know that his club were considering letting him go despite his fast start to the season.

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The Brazilian was preferred to Dominic Solanke in Tottenham’s season opener, and as Agbonlahor says, scored two great goals. That suggests a confidence in his game which might now have taken a hit due to his club’s actions.

That could be the case more so given reports regarding Spurs’ interest in Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson.

The report stated that Spurs were interested in the Blues man, and had “made contact with Jackson in case Richarlison leaves.”

That suggests Tottenham might be preempting the exit of Richarlison by putting another prospective transfer in place.

Should the Brazilian feel disrespected by constantly being the subject of suggestions Spurs could let him go, that might not be good for his form, and in turn might mean the team struggle.

However, it is distinctly possible that they are simply rumours and the club could be on hard to reassure the striker – who started the first game for a reason – that he is being backed.

Tottenham are reportedly interested in signing a Chelsea forward after they lost out to Arsenal for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

Spurs have been eager of late to add more firepower to their attacking ranks. It comes with two of their most potent assets from last season now unavailable to them.

Son Heung-min – who was directly involved in 23 goals in all competitions – has moved onto LAFC, while James Maddison will be sidelined for a while through injury. The attacking midfielder was also directly involved in 23 goals last season.

Palace man Eze seemed perfect for Tottenham, as he can play both as an attacking midfielder and a winger, so could have covered for the losses of both men.

However, while they thought a deal was essentially done to sign the Eagles man, rivals Arsenal fully agreed a deal to sign him on Wednesday.

That leaves Tottenham scrambling for more options, and they might have found one at another rival side, Chelsea.

According to Chelsea News, Spurs are ‘interested in’ signing Blues forward Nicolas Jackson amid their desire to add attacking quality to their side.

Further to that, it’s believed contact has been made for the potential signing of the forward. The report states Tottenham have “made contact with Jackson in case Richarlison leaves.”

They also explain that the sale of the Brazilian – who scored twice on the opening weekend of the season for Spurs – would bring the north London club the €60-70million (£51.9-£60.6m) needed to make a deal happen.

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👉 Tottenham boost as £30m ‘agreement close’ amid ‘upped efforts’ to ‘beat Liverpool to signing’

One could question whether Tottenham need to make any money to be able to finance a deal for Jackson. They were closing in on a £67.5million move for Eze, though that they didn’t end up signing him suggests the conditions were not perfect.

But Jackson won’t cost quite the level of Eze, as reports have placed him at £60million. Should they need to raise some money to sign him, it shouldn’t be a huge amount.

Jackson is also being linked with Aston Villa and Newcastle at the moment.

What’s more, it now seems unlikely that Richarlison will be allowed to leave Tottenham. While there have been reports over the summer suggesting he could be surplus to requirements, those have largely died down of late.

What’s more, Richarlison was given the nod to start up top over Dominic Solanke against Burnley, and repaid the faith of Thomas Frank with two goals, including a sumptuous bicycle kick, suggesting confidence in his game at the moment.

According to reports, Tottenham have agreed a deal with Real Madrid to sign Rodrgyo on loan this summer, with Spurs now in talks with the La Liga giants over a ‘purchase clause’.

The Brazil international has been heavily linked with a move to England throughout the summer, with his lack of minutes at the Club World Cup encouraging interest from Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City in his services.

Xabi Alonso has insisted throughout the speculation that he’s counting on Rodrygo this season and reports suggested after a meeting between the new Madrid boss and the winner earlier this month that he was set to stay at the Bernabeu.

Earlier on Thursday, Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola has now revealed that Rodrygo is indeed set for a move to the Premier League this summer.

“Exclusive information on Rodrygo,” Nicola said on his YouTube channel. “Real Madrid’s Brazilian striker is heading to the Premier League.

“The question is whether he will play for Liverpool or Manchester City. The two Premier League giants are the most interested.

“Guardiola has been trying for a long time to sign Rodrygo, but Liverpool have entered the fray in recent days – willing to make Rodrigo the replacement for Luis Diaz.”

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But now, according to Defensa Central, following Arsenal’s swoop to sign Eberechi Eze ahead of them, Tottenham have beaten their rivals to the punch to land Rodrgyo.

Despite what Nicola claimed, the report suggests ‘the only possibility left is Tottenham’ as Liverpool and Arsenal have ‘decided to bet on other attackers’, while Manchester City are ‘not really interested’.

It’s claimed Real have now ‘accepted’ Tottenham loan proposal, with Spurs agreeing to ‘pay his entire salary’, which stands at just over £200,000 per week.

‘The only doubt is whether or not a purchase clause is included in the loan’ amid previous reports claiming the Spanish side want €90m [£78m] for the winger.

Rodrygo was an unused substitute in Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Osasuna on Tuesday, and Alonso was again asked about his future after the game.

“It was only a match. If in three months he still isn’t getting these minutes, then it’s different,” Alonso said. “Nothing’s going on. The Club World Cup was a different context because of the competition that it was. But this was just one game. I think we can leave the Club World Cup behind us and what really counts is this season. And of course I count on Rodrygo. It’s just one game, we don’t have to read too much in the future.

“If he has those [lack of] minutes in three months, then I can tell you with more certainty. But, today was the circumstances of the match and my decisions [not to play him].”

Tottenham are reportedly planning a second bid for Manchester City’s Savinho having embarrassingly lost out on Eberechi Eze to north London rivals.

Spurs’ worst fears appear to be coming true as they are subject to a good old-fashioned transfer gazumping with Arsenal swooping in and stealing Palace out from under the white side of north London.

As Eze goes through the final stages of his transfer to the Emirates, Spurs have reportedly gone back to previous target Savinho and according to Brazilian outlet Globo, Thomas Frank’s team have submitted a £70m bid for the 21-year-old.

Globo say ‘the London club has vowed to spare no effort for Savinho’ with the player’s agents remaining in London while the deal is negotiated.

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However, City are reluctant to sell and have already rejected a bid for the player earlier in the window.

Savinho is ‘a request from coach Thomas Frank’ but his arrival could well cost a club-record fee with Daniel Levy often unwilling to splash out.

As for the player, next summer’s World Cup could be key to his decision as ‘Savinho understands that a move to Spurs could be interesting in the fight for a spot’ in Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

Transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano however says Tottenham ‘have not stopped thinking about Savinho’ but City ‘insist on blocking the deal’.

The failure to land Eze coupled with the injury loss of James Maddison means Spurs will almost certainly make a move in the final days of the window, the question is though who can they attract to the club.

TBR Football’s Graeme Bailey has named four players Spurs are interested in, including who Palace are trying to sign to replace Eze, Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss.

Bailey said: “Tottenham have enquired about the situation surrounding Bilal El Khannouss, who Crystal Palace have agreed terms with to replace Eze.

“However, despite El Khannouss agreeing to join Palace, the deal is not done.

“I have also been told that Spurs have again asked about Savinho, but they have received no encouragement from City.

“Tyler Dibling is another player on Tottenham’s radar, and Spurs have maintained an interest in him too. Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott is another one they admire.

“Tottenham are working hard; they already know the market.”

Romano also said Morgan Rogers was a “dream target”, though admits any deal for the forward, whom Aston Villa value at £80m – will be “very difficult”.

“What happens with Tottenham now?” Romano told GiveMeSport. “They started making some calls today already to try and understand the situation for new players to add to their squad.

“For example, I can tell you that one of the dream targets they have at Tottenham internally is Morgan Rogers at Aston Villa. But it’s seen as a very difficult deal because Villa don’t want to lose the player.

“So people in the industry believe that this deal is almost impossible for Morgan Rogers, but I can guarantee you that Tottenham are thinking internally about him as a perfect candidate.”

Tottenham have drawn up a shortlist of five alternatives for Eberechi Eze after Arsenal hijacked their move for the Crystal Palace star.

Spurs were inching closer to a deal for Eze before Arsenal swooped in on Wednesday evening following Kai Havertz injury to reach an agreement with Crystal Palace and the player for his transfer.

Fabrizio Romano wrote on X: ‘Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, here we go! Verbal agreement in place between all parties. Crystal Palace to receive package in excess of £60m as Eze preferred #AFC over Spurs. Arsenal win race over Tottenham, been in advanced talks for days but never sealed.’

It’s a huge blow for Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy, who will now go back to the drawing board to sign a new playmaker/forward to bolster Thomas Frank’s squad.

TBR Football’s Graeme Bailey has named four players Spurs are interested in, and may look to get their own back on Palace by pushing for their top target to replace Eze at Selhurst Park.

Bailey said: “Tottenham have enquired about the situation surrounding Bilal El Khannouss, who Crystal Palace have agreed terms with to replace Eze.

“However, despite El Khanouss agreeing to join Palace, the deal is not done.

“I have also been told that Spurs have again asked about Savinho, but they have received no encouragement from City.

“Tyler Dibling is another player on Tottenham’s radar, and Spurs have maintained an interest in him too. Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott is another one they admire.

“Tottenham are working hard; they already know the market.”

MORE TOTTENHAM COVERAGE ON F365

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Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also thrown Morgan Rogers’ name into the mix as a “dream target”, though admits any deal for forward – whom Aston Villa value at £80m – will be “very difficult”.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “And in this case, after 10 days of negotiations, advanced negotiations, Arsenal appeared, and Tottenham lost the player.

“What happens with Tottenham now? They started making some calls today already to try and understand the situation for new players to add to their squad.

“For example, I can tell you that one of the dream targets they have at Tottenham internally is Morgan Rogers at Aston Villa. But it’s seen as a very difficult deal because Villa don’t want to lose the player.

“So people in the industry believe that this deal is almost impossible for Morgan Rogers, but I can guarantee you that Tottenham are thinking internally about him as a perfect candidate.”

Arsenal swooped in ahead of Tottenham to beat them to the signing of Eberechi Eze on Wednesday night, but a move billed as a hijacking had actually been made long before Spurs struck a deal for the playmaker.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein broke the bombshell news that the Gunners had ‘made their move’ to beat Spurs to Eze on Wednesday evening, also revealing that Eze ‘wants to join’ them over their bitter rivals, with Fabrizio Romano dropped his ‘here we go’ soon after.

He wrote on X: ‘Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, here we go! Verbal agreement in place between all parties. Crystal Palace to receive package in excess of £60m as Eze preferred #AFC over Spurs. Arsenal win race over Tottenham, been in advanced talks for days but never sealed.’

It was reported as the latest of late hijacks, and it does appear as though the Gunners wouldn’t have made their move without Kai Havertz’s knee injury, but The Independent claim ‘Arsenal had actually struck the principles of an agreement with Palace as early as the morning of Sunday 10 August’.

They ‘managed to keep it extraordinarily quiet’ in the time between that broad agreement and that push for Eze on Wednesday and ‘didn’t look like they would follow through on that agreement’.

The word was that they preferred a left winger and wanted to sell before another purchase as ‘mixed messages’ were broadcast, to the point where Eze had ‘accepted Arsenal wasn’t going to happen’, with the England international pushing Palace chairman Steve Parish to get the deal done with Tottenham on Monday.

He was is said to have been ‘genuinely excited’ about joining Spurs, though it ‘wasn’t the one he really wanted – his dream was a move to Arsenal’.

On Spurs’ struggles to complete the deal for Eze, the report states:

‘One description over the last few days was that “the deal is both almost done and constantly at the point of collapse”. There is now a belief, especially within Spurs, that Palace were stalling. They were waiting for Arsenal to come back, since competition would mean getting a better price.’

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It’s further claimed that the ‘closer relationship’ Parish has with Arsenal’s Tim Lewis compared to Daniel Levy may have played its part, while Palace’s greater interest in Gunners cast-offs is another factor mentioned in them beating Spurs to the punch on Wednesday.

The report adds:

‘Arsenal finally acted on that deal. That shift will be linked to Kai Havertz’s injury but there is actually hope the German’s absence won’t be that long, maybe less than three months. The Havertz development just accelerated everything. Arsenal wanted to make sure they didn’t miss out.

‘Parish and Arsenal executive vice-chairman Tim Lewis have a closer relationship than Parish and Levy, even if they often bicker. They WhatsApp a lot about regulations and other in-game issues. That helped by Wednesday, especially given that Sunday 10 August agreement.

‘Arsenal also have more players they can offer who Palace need. It is possible a deal is next done for Jakub Kiwior, given how Oliver Glasner’s side need a centre-half on that side.’

Eberechi Eze is set to snub Tottenham and move to Arsenal after the Gunners reignited their interest in the Crystal Palace star on Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta’s side have already taken significant strides to improve their squad this summer, with Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga arriving for around £200m.

They were heavily linked with Eze earlier in the window, but appeared to drop their interest as Spurs pushed for the playmaker’s transfer.

Eze reportedly agreed terms with Spurs ahead of Palace’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea on Sunday, and on Monday evening, Fabrizio Romano revealed Spurs and Palace had a meeting over Eze to discuss the final terms.

“Tottenham keep working on Eberechi Eze. A direct meeting took place on Monday between Daniel Levy and Steve Parish,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.

“An offer of £55m, plus £5m in add-ons is on the table and Tottenham are trying to reach an agreement after Eze informed Crystal Palace last week of his desire to go to Tottenham.

“He really wants to go after winning two titles, the first two in the history of Crystal Palace, as he believes this can be the moment to go and play in the Champions League.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Romano added: “Negotiations for Eberechi Eze to Spurs are again underway today after £55m plus £5m proposal yesterday.

“Daniel Levy and Steve Parish, in direct contact to seal the agreement.”

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In a huge blow to Spurs, The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed on Wednesday that Kai Havertz’s knee injury saw Arsenal ‘make their move’ for the playmaker, adding that Eze ‘wants to join’ them over Spurs.

And now Fabrizio Romano claims an agreement has been reached with all parties, giving the transfer his ‘here we go’ seal.

He wrote on X: ‘Eberechi Eze to Arsenal, here we go! Verbal agreement in place between all parties. Crystal Palace to receive package in excess of £60m as Eze preferred #AFC over Spurs. Arsenal win race over Tottenham, been in advanced talks for days but never sealed.’

Ornstein confirmed Arsenal have reached ‘an agreement in principle’ with Palace before adding that despite his imminent move to the Emirates, Eze is still ‘expected to play for Palace against Fredrikstad in the Conference League play-off on Thursday before undergoing a medical with the north London club’