Arsenal are reportedly willing to sweeten their pursuit of Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze by offering a player in part exchange, as they intensify efforts to sign the midfielder ahead of local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
According to an exclusive by SunSport, Gunners transfer chief Andrea Berta has already held discussions with Eze’s camp as the North London giants push to secure a deal for the 27-year-old.
The player, who just celebrated his birthday last week, is said to be open to a switch to the Emirates and has been working on his fitness in anticipation of a possible move.
However, Crystal Palace are holding firm on their valuation and insist that any club wishing to sign Eze must meet his £68million release clause in full.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are busy reinforcing their squad across multiple positions. The North London side are edging closer to wrapping up a deal for Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, having already agreed personal terms and now finalising the finer points with the Portuguese club.
Mikel Arteta’s team have also welcomed Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and secured the signature of long-standing target Martin Zubimendi.
Talks are at an advanced stage for another addition, Brentford captain Christian Norgaard.
Still, Berta remains laser-focused on the Eze deal and is prepared to tempt Palace with a highly-rated young defender to break the deadlock.
Though the identity of the player hasn’t been revealed, SunSport reports he is a rising talent who has made a handful of first-team appearances.
With centre-back Marc Guehi attracting interest from Liverpool and Newcastle, Palace are bracing for his potential exit.
They’ve lined up Sporting’s Ousmane Diomande as a possible replacement, having cooled their brief interest in Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah due to concerns over his wages and age.
Bringing in a promising young defender as part of the Eze negotiations could appeal to Palace, especially given that Chadi Riad, who joined from Real Betis last summer, is set to miss the beginning of the new season with an ACL injury.
Eze remains a talismanic figure at Selhurst Park. He famously scored the decisive goal in Palace’s 1-0 triumph over Manchester City in last season’s FA Cup final, further elevating his stature in English football.