Eberechi Eze’s £60million move from Crystal Palace to Arsenal is set to be confirmed as early as this weekend, according to PA news agency. The final details of the deal for the 27-year-old are nearly complete, pushing Arsenal’s summer spending over the £250m mark.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner revealed that Eze, absent from his squad for their Conference League play-off at Selhurst Park, informed him on Thursday morning that he was unable to play. “Honestly I expected that he will start today for us, but he called me this morning and said he doesn’t feel well to play in the evening, and of course I have to accept it, and everything else you have to ask the chairman,” Glasner told Channel 5 ahead of their match with Fredrikstad – the Eagles’ first ever European tie.
“I have to accept it. If a player tells me he is not ready to play, then of course we had to (accept it). I called the player who starts instead, Justin Devenny, and that he is ready, because it’s my responsibility to prepare the players to play for us in the best way.
“And so it was quite busy. You don’t like to change your starting 11 on matchday, especially in this situation. It’s the first time in European football for Crystal Palace, but again, we have to deal with it, and so this is what we do in the best way.”
Eze is poised to become Arsenal’s seventh signing of the summer after they moved to outbid Tottenham for the England international. The stunning transfer of Eze to the Emirates has been fast-tracked this week following a knee injury sustained by Kai Havertz.
The German international made an appearance as a second-half substitute in Arsenal’s 1-0 victory at Manchester United, and completed the match, but he did not take part in the club’s open training session at the Emirates on Wednesday.
It remains uncertain how long Havertz, who is still under assessment, will be out of action. However, the swift move for Eze indicates that Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta at the helm and backed by sporting director Andrea Berta, are not willing to take any risks as they aim to secure their first Premier League title in 22 years.
Eze is now set to join striker Viktor Gyokeres (£55m), defender Cristhian Mosquera (£13m), midfielder Martin Zubimendi (£60m), goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga (£5m), midfielder Christian Norgaard (£10m) and forward Noni Madueke (£48.5m) in making the switch to the Emirates.
Arteta is scheduled to face the press at the club’s training ground on Friday to preview his team’s second match of the season, at home against Leeds on Saturday evening.