TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur’s move for Eberechi Eze was hijacked by Arsenal.

The England international has been one of the biggest names in the transfer window in recent weeks after it became clear that he would be on the move.

Arsenal showed interest in Eze very early in the summer, but the Gunners’ focus had shifted to an out-and-out left winger after Ethan Nwaneri extended his contract.

That opened the door for Tottenham to land Eze, but after Kai Havertz’s injury, Arsenal pounced and pipped their local rivals to the Crystal Palace star’s signature.

David Ornstein: What Tottenham were ready to do after hearing about Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze hijack

Eberechi Eze had been on Tottenham’s radar for many years.

Spurs have constantly been linked with a move to sign him over the last few windows, but for one reason or another, no move materialised.

However, earlier in August, TBR Football confirmed, as reported by many others, that Tottenham were close to signing Eze for just over £60 million, including add-ons.

That would’ve been brilliant for Daniel Levy, considering that the value of Eze’s release clause was set at £68 million.

David Ornstein has now revealed that Tottenham were actually ready to increase their offer to the release clause value after finding out that Arsenal were attempting a hijack.

Unfortunately for them, it was too late, as the Gunners were prepared to match that, and Eze chose Arsenal over Spurs.

Ornstein said on The Athletic FC podcast: “What is clear is that Tottenham went to a really far extent on this. They even were prepared to go to the release clause sort of value when it emerged that Arsenal were in.

“But by this point, Arsenal were prepared to match that, and the player wanted Arsenal.

“That’s the crucial factor in this because in that sense, Tottenham couldn’t have done much more other than, yeah, with hindsight, they could have wrapped it up quicker.

“But the player, ultimately, if he really wanted to join another team, Tottenham aren’t going to go to an unreasonable level to convince someone that deep down doesn’t want to be there.”

Tottenham fans are right to blame Daniel Levy for missing out on Eberechi Eze

Tottenham were in a one-horse race to sign Eze for over a week.

Arsenal were content with their options in attacking midfield when Havertz was fit, and Spurs could’ve wrapped up the deal at that stage.

Daniel Levy, however, tried to drive the price down from the value of Eze’s release clause, and that delayed everything.

Tottenham fans are right to criticise Levy, and their anger will go up even more after hearing some of Ornstein’s comments above.

If Levy was prepared to pay the value of the release clause after Arsenal started their hijack attempt, why didn’t he just do it a week before when nobody else was in the race?

It is a real shame for Tottenham fans that they have missed out on Eze, but Arsenal supporters are absolutely delighted – and rightly so!

Tottenham Hotspur have had a frustrating summer transfer window, with the North London club missing out on a number of key targets.

Spurs manager Thomas Frank has been keen to add creativity to his squad, especially due to injuries ruling both Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison out for prolonged periods of time.

Eberechi Eze is set to join Arsenal, despite Tottenham previously being confident of a deal, while Spurs also missed out on Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White earlier in the summer.

However, if Tottenham want to make a splash in the transfer market and sign a player that could make a real difference to their fortunes this season, hijacking the deal of one of their fiercest rivals would be a masterstroke.

Signing Xavi Simons could be Tottenham’s Eden Hazard moment

Chelsea have agreed to sign Xavi Simons, with the Netherlands international giving the tick of approval on personal terms, TBR Football has revealed.

However, with Tottenham’s neighbours yet to convince Red Bull Leipzig to part with the talented midfielder and sort a transfer fee, there is a golden opportunity for Spurs to steal a march on their Premier League rivals.

Simons looks destined to leave the Bundesliga side this summer and while Chelsea appears the most likely destination, plenty of other teams have also been linked with the Dutch playmaker also.

Chelsea have generally conducted their business quickly this summer and the fact that a deal for Simons has seemingly stalled provides an opportunity for Tottenham.

Simons could be Tottenham superstar

While Tottenham would need to spend a sizeable fee and convince Simons he would be better to join them than Chelsea, the 28-times capped Netherlands international would be a superstar for Frank’s men.

Spurs have a history of having deals gazumped at the 11th hour, with losing out on Eze having the feel of Eden Hazard in 2012 – when Tottenham had a deal agreed for the winger, before he changed his mind and joined Chelsea instead.

For Simons, a move to Tottenham could be a better option.

While Chelsea have Cole Palmer as their main creative player and someone who will surely start when fit, Simons would walk into the Tottenham team.

Chelsea have strengthened considerably in attacking areas over the summer and a starting role at Stamford Bridge would not be guaranteed for Simons.

Frank would look to build a team around the Dutch star, who would play Champions League football at Spurs and join his international team-mate Micky van der Ven at N17.

While hijacking a deal for Simons appears unlikely, if Tottenham moved quickly and threw everything to get the creative star, it would avenge the negative feelings of missing out on Eze and be a landmark signing.

Despite taking Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, Tottenham have still endured a difficult summer.

Spurs have just missed out on Eberechi Eze when the Londoner seemed destined to join Tottenham, with Arsenal of all clubs pipping Thomas Frank to the England international.

Manchester City are also digging their heels in over Savinho – another attacker Tottenham want to sign.

Maghnes Akliouche has been named as an alternative option for Tottenham – according to the Telegraph – after setbacks with Eze and Savinho, but West Ham could make a deal for the Monaco No.11 difficult.

West Ham bid for Soungoutou Magassa, and it might make Monaco tougher on Tottenham

Fabrizio Romano now claims that West Ham have made a €20m (£17.3m) bid for Soungoutou Magassa – with Graham Potter desperate for a new central midfielder.

Talks are now said to be advancing between West Ham and Monaco, and with an extra £17.3m in the bank, the French outfit could be more reluctant to sell Akliouche to Tottenham.

Politically, Monaco fans might also kick up a fuss if Akliouche is sold just days after Magassa – ahead of the September 1st transfer deadline – so there are numerous reasons why this development could become a problem for Spurs.

Most likely attacking signing for Tottenham as summer transfer window nears an end

Frank is presumably becoming a bit agitated at the moment, with only Kudus and Kota Takai arriving on permanent deals this summer – and the addition of Joao Palhinha on loan.

Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel cannot exactly be counted as additions – seeing as they were on loan last season.

At this moment in time, our opinion would be that Savinho is most likely to join Tottenham.

As aforesaid, Manchester City are holding firm in negotiations, although TBR Football understand Spurs do still believe a deal for Savinho is possible – and the Brazil international is keen on the move.

It could cost Tottenham as much as £69m to sign the South American – roughly the same fee that would have been spent on Eze – so it is clear the money is there for a deal.

Tottenham Hotspur are now working on other transfer targets after missing out on Eberechi Eze, who is set to join Arsenal.

Eze had agreed to join Tottenham, but on Wednesday, Arsenal came out of nowhere and have managed to hijack the move for the 27-year-old.

Arsenal have now agreed a deal for Eze and the winger is now expected to make the switch to the Emirates Stadium instead.

Daniel Levy is now frantically moving on Spurs’ search for alternative targets after missing out on the club’s number one target.

The Lilywhites have now identified a player who they deem to be the ‘perfect candidate’ and Brennan Johnson could actually play a key role in helping his move.

Brennan Johnson must convince Morgan Rogers to join Tottenham

Johnson should get involved in Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Morgan Rogers, with the Lilywhites now looking at the Aston Villa midfielder.

Tottenham have started making calls for Rogers as the club views the player as their ‘dream target’ after missing out on Eze.

A deal for the 23-year-old is seen as almost ‘very difficult’ by some people in football, but Spurs are still considering a move.

In a bid to convince the player about a move to North London, Tottenham should have Rogers’ very close friend, Johnson, in his ear.

The Premier League duo played together during a loan spell at Lincoln City, in which both players flourished in League One.

The Villa star has previously spoken about his friendship, telling Sky Sports back in February: “It’s crazy how things come back around and stuff and yeah, I knew of him when I went there but I didn’t know him at all and then we got so close and then bonded so well and to see both of us do well is ideal.

Tottenham fans would love to see Rogers signed and the duo reunited in N17.

The midfielder also explained how the pair still remain in regular contact, adding: “We still speak all the time, so it’s really nice when friends do well and you meet on a path and you see where it takes you and yeah, it’s immense pride.”

The former Manchester City academy star recently won the PFA Young Player of the Year award following an excellent campaign.

Last season, Rogers managed 14 goals and 16 assists in all competitions and would represent an incredible signing if Spurs were to pull it off.

Brennan Johnson and Morgan Rogers’ record together

Johnson and Rogers played 26 times together during their loan spell at Lincoln, in which they combined on four occasions.

Johnson often alternated between playing in the number ten role and out on the right, meanwhile, Rogers was out on the left.

Under Frank, the pair could well switch roles, with Rogers most likely to be played in the number ten and Johnson out on the left.

The Welsh winger scored from playing left wing against Burnley on Saturday, as he continued where he left off from last season.

TBR Football can reveal that Tottenham Hotspur have initiated new contacts to sign Nico Paz after they missed out on Eberechi Eze.

The Argentine has been on Spurs’ radar for several months, with TBR revealing in February that Tottenham scouts were impressed by Paz.

Eze chose Arsenal over Spurs even though Thomas Frank’s side tried very hard to get him. Since that rejection, Tottenham have been exploring other options.

One of them is Paz of Como.

Nico Paz was one of Como’s standout players in the Serie A last season.

The Argentina international, hailed as a ‘very skilful’ player by The Scouting App, impressed everyone under Cesc Fabregas in Italy last term, and his performances have caught the eye of other big clubs.

Tottenham are one of them, and after their initial enquiry proved to be unsuccessful earlier this month, they tried again.

TBR Football’s chief correspondent, Graeme Bailey, can reveal that Spurs initiated fresh contacts with Paz’s representatives and Real Madrid in the last 24 hours.

However, as TBR confirmed over a week ago, Real Madrid, who own 50 per cent of Paz’s rights, have not changed their stance, and the only move they would be open to, if any, is a straight loan.

Bailey told TBR: “The problem for any club wanting Paz is that Real currently have a buy-back clause of around €10 million (£8.6m). If they allowed him to leave Como, they would insist on a similar arrangement with that new club.

“So, in theory, if he performed well at Spurs, they would lose him for virtually nothing at the end of the deal.

“As it stands, Spurs would not do that.”

Lionel Messi has raved about Tottenham target Nico Paz

Paz was barely a month old when Lionel Messi made his debut for Barcelona in October 2004.

Now 20, he can proudly say that he has shared the pitch with his legendary compatriot on two occasions, the first of which came when Argentina smashed Bolivia 6-0.

Paz even assisted Messi in that game.

After the win, Messi hailed Paz by saying: “Nico Paz has an incredible mindset, and that’s why he’s where he is”.

TBR Football understands that Tottenham Hotspur still believe a deal to sign Savinho is possible, despite Manchester City’s reluctance to sell.

The North Londoners’ summer transfer window hasn’t quite gone to plan.

Daniel Levy tried to sign Morgan Gibbs-White, but that deal didn’t go through, while Tottenham’s move for Eberechi Eze was hijacked by Arsenal in the 11th hour.

Spurs are working on other deals now, and they are pushing for Savinho.

Tottenham still think they can sign Savinho from Manchester City

Savinho has been on Tottenham’s radar for a few weeks now.

Spurs allowed Son Heung-min to leave the club earlier this summer, while James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are both out with serious injuries.

New signing Mohamed Kudus can play in a central role to replace the injured duo, but that would mean Tottenham need another wide option.

Spurs are really keen to sign Savinho, but Manchester City do not want to sell him in this window – they have made that very clear.

However, sources have told TBR that the Brazilian is ready to join Tottenham, which is why the Europa League winners believe this move is still possible.

TBR Football’s chief correspondent, Graeme Bailey, said: “I am told that Spurs are trying again for Savinho as they know the player wants to join them.

“We have less than two weeks left, so this is not easy to do, but they are going to keep trying for a few days. Spurs think it is possible!”

Savinho, hailed as ‘unpredictable’ by Manchester City expert Srinivas Sadhanand, still has four years left on his contract at the Etihad.

Manchester City are keeping tabs on Savinho’s potential replacement

Pep Guardiola claimed recently that he hopes Savinho will stay at Manchester City for many years, but the Spaniard admitted that it is down to the player.

If Tottenham can agree a fee with the eight-time Premier League champions, this deal will happen, and Guardiola’s men have a plan in place to replace him.

TBR can confirm that Real Madrid star Rodrygo Goes, who has fallen down the pecking order under Xabi Alonso, is being viewed by Manchester City as a potential option in case Savinho leaves.

Arsenal have beaten Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Eberechi Eze this summer.

The 27-year-old has been the talk of the town over the last few days, and his transfer saga is finally about to come to an end.

Tottenham were really close to signing the Crystal Palace star, but Arsenal swiftly hijacked the Eze deal and are all set to complete it now.

Ahead of his scheduled medical on Friday, some new information has come to light about Eze, and Arsenal fans will absolutely love it.

David Ornstein says Eberechi Eze kept asking about Arsenal despite Tottenham’s interest

Eberechi Eze was once a part of Arsenal’s youth setup.

The Englishman has publicly declared his love for the Gunners in the past, and he was desperate to make it at Hale End when he was a kid.

However, Eze was left in tears when Arsenal released him, but his admiration for the club has not gone away.

Arsenal were linked with Eze at the start of the window, but things became quiet on that front in recent weeks.

That’s when Tottenham stepped up and tried to sign him, but David Ornstein has now revealed that Eze kept asking people around him and his teammates if they knew anything about Arsenal’s interest in him.

The journalist said on The Athletic FC podcast: “You’ve got to remember in all of this as well that Eze’s preference was always, if possible, to join Arsenal.

“He was in their academy at an early age. He is said to be a fan of the club, and from what I hear in multiple conversations, he was asking people over a long period of time: ‘Are Arsenal there? Does Mikel Arteta want me?’

“He was sort of pushing teammates and things like that to try and explore this situation.

“So, I think there would have been a bit of residual intrigue on his part about whether this would ever come about.

“However, I’ve got to make clear that Tottenham got a deal done with Crystal Palace and with the player. It was ready to rumble, and it was very much in its final stages before Arsenal came and did this.”

Eberechi Eze had told his friends he was joining Arsenal weeks ago

Arsenal hijacking Tottenham’s move to sign Eze came as a surprise to the footballing world, but people close to the player must have known that this could happen.

Yes, Spurs seemed to be in the driving seat, and the player had given the green light to join them, but Arsenal were the club in his heart.

Back in July, TBR Football exclusively revealed that Eze had been telling his friends that he was joining Arsenal this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur travel away to Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime in the aftermath of what has been a disappointing week in the transfer window.

Eberechi Eze is joining Arsenal, despite Spurs having had a deal agreed to bring him to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Thomas Frank’s team will now need to dust themselves down and get ready for what will be a tough match against Manchester City.

The Lilywhites produced an impressive first win of the Premier League season as they defeated Burnley 3-0, meanwhile, City were 4-0 winners away at Wolves.

Looking ahead to the clash at the Etihad Stadium, we have spoken to TBR Football’s resident Manchester City expert, Srinivas Sadhanand, to get his thoughts on how the game might play out.

Mohammed Kudus is Tottenham’s most feared player ‘by a country mile’

Mohammed Kudus is Tottenham’s most feared player ‘by a country mile’, the Manchester City journalist tells TBR Football.

Kudus really impressed against Burnley on his Premier League debut for Spurs, as he set up Richarlison’s brace against the Clarets.

Sadhanand admitted: “Kudus is number one by a country mile. With City struggling to defend against transitions, coming up against one of the Premier League’s best ball-carriers could be an arduous task.

“Ait-Nouri will have a big job on his hands to keep Kudus quiet as even last week, he showed how dangerous he can be in 1v1 situations.

“Brennan Johnson is another one who could cause City problems with his smart movement and finishing. With City playing a high line, Johnson could thrive if he runs in behind their defence.

“Micky van de Ven is another one who could be crucial for Spurs as he allows them to play a high line and the Dutchman’s incredible pace and ability to defend out wide and in central areas could potentially extinguish City’s attempts to break Spurs down if he has the game of his life and the hosts’ attackers are not at the races. “

Thomas Frank tipped ‘to do well’ at Tottenham

Sadhanand is backing Frank to succeed in N17 and believes that there aren’t many managers who are more adaptable tacticians than the Dane

The 51-year-old’s ability to switch up his system has been highlighted in his first two competitive matches against PSG and Burnley.

In the UEFA Super Cup, Spurs played with a back-five and defended very well, but in their Premier League opener, they dominated the ball and played on the front foot.

Speaking about Spurs’ new coach, the Man City expert said: “Thomas Frank is a brilliant manager. In my opinion, there are not many more adaptable tacticians in the Premier League and I expect him to do well at Spurs.

“As far as the game is concerned, his Brentford teams were always very direct, physical and devastating on the break.

“These three aspects have hurt City in the past 12 months and in some ways, a win against Frank’s Tottenham side would well and truly reflect whether Pep Guardiola’s side are taking steps in the right direction.”

Tijjani Reijnders is good, but Erling Haaland remains Man City’s main man

Tijjani Reijnders enjoyed an impressive debut against Wolves as he scored and assisted during his first game in English football.

But the man to watch for Manchester City remains Erling Haaland, and the Norwegian could try to expose Tottenham’s high line.

“It’s a boring answer, but I’m going to go for Erling Haaland. Haaland is a one-man counter-attack and up against Spurs’ high line, he could do some serious damage,” admitted Sadhanand.

“Taking into account that Pep admitted after the Wolves game that City will play on the break more often this season, City could wreak havoc if they are more direct and fizz balls in behind Tottenham’s defence into Haaland on Saturday.

Burnley highlighted Thomas Frank still has work to do on Tottenham’s defence

There remains a belief that, despite PSG’s struggles, Burnley showed that there is still joy to be had against Tottenham’s defence.

The Clarets still managed to cause Spurs plenty of concerns at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite the scoreline suggesting otherwise.

Finally, Sadhanand added: “I’d say that in the first half against Burnley, Spurs still had their fair share of defensive worries and Burnley’s lack of goals were a qualitative issue. So, I wouldn’t necessarily say that Spurs are tough to break down yet.

“However, yet is the operative word and Thomas Frank has shown that he can coach a defence with aplomb. Also, City could do a better job of breaking mid and low blocks down this season with the additions of Cherki, who is one of Europe’s best creators and Reijnders, due to how excellent his movement is.

“Ait-Nouri’s crossing and quick feet could also make City more of a threat in the final third this season. I’m not taking Spurs lightly whatsoever but I do stress that it is too early to judge this Tottenham side, both positively and negatively.”

After Saturday’s clash, the future of Savinho is likely to remain a hot topic for discussion, with two clubs remaining in contact over the Brazilian.

Tottenham Hotspur are set for another transfer blow as Eberechi Eze nears a move to North London rivals Arsenal.

Thomas Frank saw Mohammed Kudus join Tottenham Hotspur earlier this summer, but still wants more creativity.

James Maddison’s injury leaves Tottenham chasing a number 10, though Morgan Gibbs-White signed a new contract with Nottingham Forest.

Tottenham were then closing in on Eberechi Eze, as an agreement with Crystal Palace appeared to be imminent.

However, Arsenal have hijacked the deal for Eze and are now on the verge of securing his arrival at the Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham are looking at Bilal El Khannouss from Leicester City as a potential alternative, but they need to move quickly for new options.

Andy Brassell backs Brahim Diaz for Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham are running out of time to bring in a quality number 10, and the feeling inside Spurs is bound to be low after losing out on Eze.

Spurs are bound to have other options in mind, such as El Khannouss, but he is ironically wanted by Palace to replace Eze.

European football expert Andy Brassell has now told Sky Sports that he believes Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz would fit the bill for Tottenham.

Brassell suggests that Diaz may need to leave Real this summer, especially as Rodrygo now looks set to stay put.

Brassell believes that Diaz is a ‘match-changer’ in big games, and his lack of playing time at Real should tempt Spurs into a deal.

“I just wonder what Spurs’ options are now, really,” said Brassell.

“If you’re looking at Europe, because there aren’t a whole lot of number 10s out there, I wonder if it’s worth a little go for Brahim Diaz.

“The latest news from Madrid is, it looks like Rodrygo is not going anywhere, Xabi Alonso would like to keep him, and the offers aren’t really out there at the moment.

“Brahim Diaz is someone who was at Manchester City, he’s won leagues in three different countries, he’s a match-changer in all the big matches that he plays, he’s 26, and he can’t get in the Real Madrid XI.

“To me, that looks like a bit of Spurs,” he added.

Brahim Diaz statistics amid Tottenham Hotspur suggestion

Diaz turned 26 earlier in August, but he really needs consistent starts.

The Morocco international started 16 La Liga games last season and 18 in the 2023-24 campaign, which just isn’t enough at this stage in his career.

Arda Guler could now step forward as Real’s next great playmaker, and that could certainly impact Diaz’s minutes under Xabi Alonso.

Diaz has bagged 20 goals and 20 assists in 122 games for Real, and boasted a similar record at AC Milan with 18 goals and 15 assists in 124 games.

Diaz would be a step down from Eze in terms of proven Premier League quality, but he may be a player for Spurs to ask the question about in the final stages of the window.

Tottenham thought they were about to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, before Arsenal changed everything.

As negotiations between Daniel Levy and Steve Parish stalled, Arsenal sensed an opportunity to swoop in following an injury to Kai Havertz, swiftly agreeing a £68m deal with Crystal Palace.

Eze will undergo a medical at Arsenal on Friday – once he has played his final game for the Eagles against Fredrikstad on Thursday evening in the UEFA Conference League.

Parish is understood to have insisted on the England international featuring in the European tie.

Tottenham have now turned their attention towards Bilal El Khannouss as an alternative – a player Crystal Palace hope to sign – which has sparked a reaction from Spurs fans.

Tottenham fans want to exact revenge on Crystal Palace by taking Bilal El Khannouss

TBR Football understand Spurs have enquired about El Khannouss after losing out on Eberechi Eze, and Tottenham fans are “all for it” if it spites Crystal Palace.

One Tottenham fan wrote on X (previously known as Twitter): “My calm and peaceful 53-year-old self thinks this is a stupid idea but my more spiteful and vengeful 20-year-old self thinks this is great, and he’s winning at the moment.”

Another added: “Sign him out of spite and never play him.”

Sources stress that talks between El Khannouss and Crystal Palace went well – and the Morocco international wants to play under Oliver Glasner – but the deal is not done yet.

A third Tottenham supporter posted: “Just do it even if we only loan him straight back (to Leicester).”

Another simply wrote “well well well” – understanding the irony of the situation for Crystal Palace.

Others added that it is “a level of pettiness we can and should all get behind” as another quipped they are “all for it” after what happened regarding Eze.

Ultimately, this is not the fault of Crystal Palace.

Tottenham knew James Maddison was seriously injured just a week into August, whereas Arsenal reacted almost immediately after Havertz suffered a knee issue on Wednesday, so there was plenty of time for Levy to finalise this deal.

Bilal El Khannouss was responsible for arguably the lowest point of Ange Postecoglou’s reign at Tottenham

El Khannouss – who has been called “one of the finest technicians of his generation” – scored one of his two Premier League goals last season against Tottenham in north London.

It sealed a 2-1 win for Leicester at a time where the Foxes were on a run of just one win in nine games under Ruud van Nistelrooy, even losing seven Premier League matches in a row before travelling to face Spurs.

It also signalled a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat, and had Ange Postecoglou been sacked after this particular game, few people would have been surprised.