In a decisive push towards acquiring their seventh signing of the summer season, Arsenal are reportedly eyeing two potential player swaps to facilitate the arrival of Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze. The North London club, under the stewardship of Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta, is keen to enhance their roster, having already brought Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, and Christian Norgaard on board.
The club’s transfer activity shows no sign of slowing, with Viktor Gyokeres’ representatives arriving in London to finalise his impending move pending a medical. Additionally, the Gunners eagerly await official confirmation of Noni Madueke’s transfer from Chelsea, while suave centre-back Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia is reportedly close to sealing the sixth spot.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, personal terms with Mosquera have been agreed, and both clubs are nearing an official accord. However, Arsenal’s attention is finely tuned towards Crystal Palace’s dynamic Eze. His £68 million release clause is under negotiation, with Arsenal hoping to trim the fee through strategic player exchanges, as per TransferFeed insights.
The club has initiated communications with Fabio Vieira to gauge his openness to a potential switch to Selhurst Park. Reiss Nelson also emerges as a considered candidate for inclusion in the deal for the 27 year old playmaker. Nottingham Forest, guided by former Arsenal sporting director Edu, also shows interest in Vieira, potentially bolstering Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad.
Despite Arteta’s appreciation of Vieira’s talents, the intense competition at Arsenal makes his long-term role uncertain, prompting the club to consider his availability as talks for Eze intensify. Current market valuations peg Vieira at £19 million and Nelson at £14 million.
From a competitive standpoint, Arsenal are keen on securing Eze, with Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider highlighting Eze’s keen interest in joining Arsenal for Champions League ambitions and regular honours pursuit. Eze’s striking performance in last season’s FA Cup final, where he netted the winning goal against Manchester City, demonstrated his calibre.
A positional quandary looms whether Eze slots into the wide-left or excels in the number ten role he mastered at Palace. Despite ongoing negotiations, Crystal Palace stand firm on their valuation, not expecting the entire fee upfront, while Arsenal look to stagger payments amid their active recruitment drive.
As the saga unfolds, Arsenal fans eagerly anticipate the culmination of Arteta’s summer strategy, building anticipation for high-stakes competition in the season ahead.
READ FOR MORE FOOTBALL TRANSFERS: