Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping a close watch on Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze, according to sources.
The 25-year-old player, who joined the Eagles from Queens Park Rangers in 2020 for a fee of £15.4m, has made remarkable progress since then.
Eze has showcased his skills on the field, scoring 15 goals and providing 11 assists in 93 games for Palace.
However, his growth was hindered by an Achilles injury during the 2021-22 season. Despite this setback, Eze had an exceptional performance last term, contributing 10 goals and four assists in 38 Premier League matches, helping Roy Hodgson’s side secure an impressive 11th-placed finish and dismissing any relegation concerns.
His versatility and impact from various positions didn’t go unnoticed, catching the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate. Eze received his first senior call-up for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, where he made his debut as a substitute.
Although Eze’s contract at Selhurst Park has nearly two years remaining, the English international has allegedly rejected an extension offer from Palace, as several Big Six clubs express their interest in signing him.
Tottenham Hotspur, as per football.london, is closely monitoring the situation due to their existing relationship with Eze’s agency, CAA Base, which represents several Spurs players including Richarlison, Pedro Porro, James Maddison, Pape Sarr, and Son Heung-min.
Palace is determined to hold onto their talented attacker for the upcoming season, especially after losing Wilfried Zaha on a free transfer to Galatasaray. It is rumored that Chelsea and Manchester City are also eyeing another Palace player, Michael Olise.
Although Palace has signed Matheus Franca from Flamengo for £26m as Zaha’s replacement, manager Roy Hodgson revealed that the 19-year-old Brazilian will miss the start of the season due to injury.
Retaining Eze’s services this summer has become crucial for Palace, but they may be forced to consider a sale in 2024 if he refuses to extend his current deal.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur has been active in bolstering their playmaking options by acquiring James Maddison from Leicester City for £40m. The club has also secured the signings of Guglielmo Vicario, Alejo Veliz, Micky van de Ven, and Manor Solomon.
However, recent news of Bayern Munich’s alleged agreement to pay over €100m (£86.3m) for star striker Harry Kane has shaken Lilywhites fans.
Despite the speculation, Kane’s future remains uncertain, with indications suggesting he could opt to stay at Tottenham, impressed by the club’s new manager Ange Postecoglou’s early performance.
Tottenham Hotspur will commence their Premier League campaign against Brentford on August 13. If Kane’s future remains unresolved by then, it is expected that he will continue with the Lilywhites.