Arsenal to battle Tottenham for Eagles star after Havertz injury

Arsenal are preparing to go head-to-head with rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, following the knee injury suffered by Kai Havertz.

The Gunners view Eze as a player who can elevate their attacking options while Spurs, who had already agreed conditions with Palace, may be forced to look elsewhere if the 27-year-old pushes for a move to the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta’s side wasted no time in reigniting their pursuit of Eze after concerns over Havertz’s fitness left their attacking depth under threat.

Arsenal have indicated a willingness to meet Palace’s conditions, a stance strengthened by Eze’s desire to join the club he once represented at academy level.

The attacking midfielder ended last season in scintillating form, scoring nine goals in his final 13 games, including the FA Cup final winner against Manchester City.

For Arsenal, his versatility offers an ideal solution: Eze can operate as a No.10, off the left, or even drop deeper, freeing players like Leandro Trossard and Mikel Merino to cover central roles until Havertz returns.

Tottenham had been leading the race, with chairman Daniel Levy holding talks with Palace counterpart Steve Parish and the conditions of a deal already in place.

However, Eze’s preference to join Arsenal has put Spurs on the back foot, leaving them considering other options in the market.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, have been reluctant to sanction a transfer before their Conference League play-off with Fredrikstad, but they accept Eze has earned a top-level move.

With Arsenal strengthening their frontline this summer through Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke, adding Eze would provide the balance and attacking edge Arteta has long sought.