ARSENAL are ready to take on north London rivals Tottenham in the race for £68million Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.
SunSport understands Gunners chief Andrea Berta has held talks with one of Eze’s representatives.
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But Berta will have to convince the Arsenal hierarchy that it is a worthwhile deal given the England international’s age and the fee.
Spurs target Eze turns 27 on Sunday and the Emirates club are against signing two players that age with Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, 27, also on their radar.
RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko remains Arsenal’s No.1 striker target but they are also interested in Gyokeres, although they face competition from Manchester United and Liverpool.
Earlier this summer, signing a left-winger was regarded as a bonus, with a striker a priority, but the club now want to do both.
Although buying Eze would reduce their funds for a striker.
Eze, who scored the winner for Palace in last month’s FA Cup final, has a £68m release clause and has just two years left on his Selhurst Park contract.
Arsenal are expected to confirm deals for midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, plus back-up goalkeeper Kepa from Chelsea, in the coming days.
They are also hoping to beat Real Madrid to the signing of 20-year-old Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, 20.
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Arsenal lost out to Real in the race to sign Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen but are battling with them again for the Spain under-21 international, who is about to enter the final year of his deal.
He would be a replacement for Jakub Kiwior, who is set to end his three-year Emirates stay this summer.
The Gunners have already bid farewell to Jorginho and Kieran Tierney.
And Thomas Partey also looks set to leave when his contract expires next week.
Inside Arsenal’s frustrating striker transfer saga
By Jordan Davies
ARSENAL’S never-ending hunt for a world-class striker is in turmoil as deals for Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres stall.
The Gunners were confident of doing their business quickly this summer after months of preparation by boss Mikel Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta.
But inflated asking prices and broken gentlemen’s agreements have derailed those plans and left Arsenal frustrated.
Sesko believed he would be allowed to leave RB Leipzig for around £60million, while SunSport understands Gyokeres was told £59m would be enough to seal his own exit.
But those price-tags have gone up, leaving Arsenal debating whether they represent value for money.
While the players’ camps are also growing restless, knowing the Gunners can only sign one of them.
So what next? Will Arsenal keep waiting in the hope of fees eventually going down? Or turn to other targets, like Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike?
Whatever they decide, with pre-season looming and the fixtures already out, Arteta will be desperate for them to move quickly to avoid another nearly season.
