Arsenal’s £67.5m Gamble Under Threat: Gunners Face Last-Minute Eberechi Eze Problem After Major Transfer Blow

Arsenal’s ambitious summer transfer window has hit a fresh snag, and this time, it comes with a sense of déjà vu and a heavy price tag. Just as the Gunners were preparing to make a decisive move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, Bayern Munich have entered the race, desperate to bounce back after their own transfer misfires. 

Eze, whose stock has skyrocketed after leading Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory, scoring in both the semi-final and the final, is now a prime target for Mikel Arteta. But Bayern Munich, still stinging from missing out on Florian Wirtz to Liverpool and Nico Williams to Athletic Bilbao, are reportedly circling with serious intent. 

The Bavarians are known for poaching Premier League talent, having already lured Michael Olise from Palace just last season. Now, with Leroy Sané having left for Galatasaray, Eze appears next on their radar, a painful twist for Arsenal, especially given that they released Eze as a 13-year-old. 

Arsenal’s plan was simple but bold: activate Eze’s £67.5 million release clause, which runs until 2027, in three instalments of around £20 million, eventually totalling £60 million. Palace, however, are in no mood to offer discounts. With Marc Guehi likely heading to Liverpool, the Eagles are under no pressure to sell, further complicating Arsenal’s plans. 

Tottenham, too, remain lurking in the background with a longstanding interest in Eze, meaning the competition for the playmaker is more intense than ever. 

Should Arsenal pull off the deal, it would push their summer spending north of £150 million, following the arrivals of Martin Zubimendi and their continued pursuit of Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres. But securing more creativity and flair out wide is still a top priority, and Eze perfectly fits that bill. 

Yet for all the noise around his potential exit, Eze has not ruled out staying. Palace’s European ambitions, clouded by ongoing multi-club ownership debates, could still keep him at Selhurst Park. In a post-FA Cup interview, Eze said: 

“I really hope that that’s not the case and I hope that Palace do get the reward for that (FA Cup win), because of what it took to actually achieve it. It would be a huge shame if that was the case, but I’m trusting that it will work out in the end. I’m sure it will work itself out and it should work itself out, because there are players who have worked to be in this position.” 

For Arsenal, the next few weeks will be critical. Lose out on Eze, and it would mark yet another missed opportunity in a transfer window full of close calls and fierce continental competition.