Eberechi Eze could miss Crystal Palace's Premier League opener on Sunday as Tottenham step up their pursuit of the England international. The attacking midfielder has formally informed Palace this week of his desire to join Spurs, according to GB News.
Eze's £68million release clause expired on Friday without being triggered by any club. Tottenham believe they can now secure the 26-year-old for a lower fee than the original buyout amount.
The transfer pursuit has reached a critical juncture with Eze's formal request potentially affecting team selection. Crystal Palace are considering whether to include him in their squad for Sunday's match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, reports The Guardian.
Impact on both clubs
Palace manager Oliver Glasner expects both Eze and defender Marc Guehi to start against Chelsea despite ongoing transfer speculation. "Marc has trained the entire week with us, every single training session, the same with Ebs," Glasner said.
"They've prepared the best way for the Chelsea game on Sunday afternoon. I've been in the football business for too long, so I know that at any time of any day, things can happen. If you ask me now, I expect both Marc and Ebs to start on Sunday."
Tottenham's urgency stems from James Maddison's serious knee injury, which has created an immediate need for a creative midfielder. Spurs are confident Eze wants to join them and are poised to move forward with their bid in the coming days.
Eze's impressive form
The England international caught attention across the Premier League after scoring eight goals and providing eight assists last season. He also netted the winning goal in Palace's FA Cup final victory and played the full 90 minutes in last week's Community Shield.
Arsenal had shown interest in Eze earlier this summer but cooled their pursuit after securing young star Ethan Nwaneri on a new five-year contract. Queens Park Rangers are entitled to a 15% sell-on clause from any profit on Eze's eventual transfer, having sold him to Palace for £19.5million, according to The Guardian.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Evening Standard", "Guardian", "GB News", "Daily Star" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
