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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly leading the charge to secure Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, with an advantage over Arsenal, according to The Sun (via Metro). The 26-year-old attacking midfielder netted the winning goal in Palace's record-breaking 1-0 FA Cup final win over Manchester City. It is little surprise that he sits on the wishlist of some Premier League clubs.
Eze's man-of-the-match performance at Wembley guaranteed Crystal Palace their first senior trophy. It also added to his season-best tally of 24 goal contributions across 41 games during the season. His quality has also helped Palace qualify for the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League through the FA Cup.
Tottenham are ahead in the pursuit to sign Eze due to their potential inclusion in the UEFA Champions League. This is based on what happens in their upcoming Europa League final against Manchester United, as the winner is guaranteed a spot in the premier continental competition.
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Beating the Red Devils and competing in the continent's largest club tournament is something that Spurs are reportedly looking forward to. It is also something that has piqued Eze's interest, although Spurs may have an issue with the winger's £68 million release clause.
Arsenal, meanwhile, haven't been as active in pursuit. Eze spent a short time at their academy, but the Gunners have not made an offer as yet. Aside the two London clubs, Manchester City are also in the running for Eze, but they have also not advanced the negotiations as far as Tottenham.
Crystal Palace do not want to lose Eze, who is under contract until 2027. In the very unlikely event he does not wish for his contract to be extended, then the club would entertain offers so he does not depart on a sub-market value with his contract expiring.
Arsenal and Tottenham keep their sights on Lille forward
Tottenham and Aston Villa have stepped up the pursuit of Lille forward Jonathan David, according to L'Equipe (via JustArsenal). They have progressed to serious talks with agents of the Canadian international regarding a free transfer in the summer. The two Premier League clubs have been more proactive than Arsenal, who have yet to make the final push.
David, who is 25 years old, will be a free agent after rejecting an offer to sign an extension of his contract at Lille. The forward has had an impressive campaign, scoring 25 goals and assisting 12 times in 49 games.
Even though Arsenal has a strong interest in David, they reportedly have alternative options for the frontline, including Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres. Wider options at hand to choose from translate to the fact that David is not their priority, which may leave Tottenham and Aston Villa to capitalize and secure his services earlier.
