Tottenham hand Arsenal unexpected Eberechi Eze transfer boost as Mikel Arteta eyes £20m discount

Arsenal could be about to receive an unlikely helping hand from bitter rivals Tottenham in their transfer pursuit of Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. Both teams have been linked to the England international, but Spurs switched their focus onto Morgan Gibbs-White, since it became clear Eze wants to join the Gunners.

Contact between his representatives and Arsenal has been maintained over the last few weeks, though a formal approach to Palace has yet to happen.

That is likely because, as things stand, following on from spending just under £200million on six new additions, sporting director Andrea Berta does not have the funds available to sign Eze, with the belief being the release clause in his contract is £67.5million.

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Tottenham, meanwhile, are in a much better financial position to make a move for the 27-year-old after top target Gibbs-White signed a new contract at Nottingham Forest. However, football.london reported at the start of July that Eze moving to Spurs was highly unlikely.

As such, Arsenal are still leading the race but will have to start selling players soon to meet his valuation, with a marquee exit potentially required. Gabriel Martinelli moving to Bayern Munich was perhaps Arsenal's best chance of seeing that scenario play out, but the German champions have instead opted to sign Luis Diaz from Liverpool.

Several fringe players departing therefore looks more likely, with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior, Leandro Trossard and Fabio Vieira just a few that have retained decent value. Minus the latter, interest from elsewhere in the other three has emerged, but that has now changed.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Vieira has been added to West Ham's shortlist and while he is now a name of interest to those at London Stadium, no formal approach has been made.

Following loose links to Serie A side Parma, reports suggested that Arsenal were asking for £20million to sell. If that stance remains the case, West Ham can comfortably meet that, having sold Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham in a £55million deal earlier this summer.

As such, if Vieira does make the switch across London, Spurs will have essentially funded the move for the Hammers. Using the money obtained from Vieira's exit, Arsenal will be a bit closer to Eze's asking price and could actually make a formal approach thanks to Tottenham.

As Arsenal did with Martin Zubimendi, paying over a release clause allows for transfer fees to be paid using installments, and £20 million as the initial fee could theoretically be enough to start negotiations.