Arsenal are reportedly willing to offer a player in part-exchange to Crystal Palace in order to secure the signing of England midfielder Eberechi Eze this summer.
The Gunners are stepping up their transfer activity as they aim to close the gap on last season’s champions, Liverpool, who have already secured signings including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez.
Mikel Arteta has already strengthened his squad with the additions of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi, and negotiations are ongoing with Sporting CP for long-term target Viktor Gyokeres. Brentford captain Christian Norgaard is also expected to be unveiled soon.
As top Premier League clubs continue to spend heavily early in the window, Arsenal are eager to keep pace and view Eze as a key signing to elevate the squad further.
According to The SunSport, Arsenal will face competition from rivals Tottenham for the Crystal Palace star, with sporting director Andrea Berta already in talks with Eze’s camp.
Although Eze has a £68 million release clause, Arsenal are hesitant to pay the full amount and are instead exploring alternative ways to structure the deal, including a player swap.
The report suggests Palace are open to receiving a defender in return, and while the identity of the player hasn’t been revealed, it’s said to be a promising youngster with multiple first-team appearances.
Eze, who turned 27 recently, is open to a move to the Emirates but is mindful of maintaining a respectful exit from Palace, especially after scoring the winner in the FA Cup final last season.
He would prefer a smooth transfer similar to Michael Olise’s amicable move to Bayern Munich. Last season, Eze contributed eight goals and eight assists in the Premier League — just one goal behind Arsenal’s top scorer, Kai Havertz.
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