Tottenham were linked with a summer move for Crystal Palace ace Eberechi Eze
Tottenham Hotspur were among the busiest Premier League clubs in the summer transfer window, making some quality additions to their squad. They also did a fantastic job of offloading of the deadwood and trimming the wage bill.
However, there were a couple of summer transfer targets the Lilywhites missed out on. One of them was Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who had gone into the transfer market as one of the most coveted commodities in the Premier League. However, he ended up eventually staying at Selhurst Park after no club triggered his release clause, thought to be in the region of £68m which has now expired.
Eberechi Eze has become one of the most exciting attackers in the Premier League in the last couple of years. The Palace playmaker has enjoyed a bright start to the 2024/25 season. He played a chief role in helping the Eagles beat his former employers Queens Park Rangers in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening.
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Going by the England international’s rise in stock in the last 15 to 18 months, former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood feels the Palace star would have been a perfect signing for Ange Postecoglou’s side.
“Someone like Eze would’ve been a perfect signing for me if they were to buy him. He would’ve been out there assisting Maddison, they need more guile in there, I don’t think Kulusevski is doing enough,” Tim Sherwood said on Premier League Productions.
Tottenham lost 1-0 to Arsenal at home last weekend, and, in all honesty, there wasn’t too much positive to say about their performance on Sunday. Big Ange’s side were flat and failed to unlock a rigid Arsenal defence, and our star players such as James Maddison, Son Heung-min, Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur didn’t turn up.
With Maddison failing to influence the game, Spurs looked devoid of ideas and energy in the final third against a well-drilled Gunners side. This is where Eze could have been so useful for the Lilywhites, providing flair and dynamism to cause problems for the depleted Arsenal side. He would have been the ideal player to operate in the pockets, link up play and stretch their backline with his burst of pace and cunning movement.
Of course, as Sherwood says, Spurs do need that extra creative spark in the midfield to help unlock defences and Eze would have fit the system very well, but, unfortunately, Big Ange and Co. will have to make do with the resources they have now at least until January.
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The 26-year-old’s £68m release clause re-activates next summer, though, so the North London club must start laying the groundwork from now for a potential swoop.
