Arsenal’s pursuit of Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze could be set for an unlikely boost courtesy of Jose Mourinho. The north Londoners have been tipped to land Eze throughout the window, with the England international having emerged a top target. He has lit up the Premier League over the last few campaigns and was a key figure as Palace won the FA Cup last season.
It has been reported that Arsenal are planning to firm up their interest in Eze before the end of the summer window. Until recently, he had a release clause of £68million but it reportedly expired at the start of this month. It means Palace will be able to demand a higher fee in order to sell the forward, who remains tied down until the summer of 2027.
As a result, it is not clear how much Arsenal would need to pay to bring Eze to the Emirates Stadium. They could boost their financial power by selling players, with Oleksandr Zinchenko said to be among those who could leave the club.
The versatile defender struggled for regular minutes last season, making just 15 appearances in the Premier League. He only has a year remaining on his current deal, meaning he will be able to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.
That is unless Arsenal can find a buyer in the coming weeks, with Mourinho potentially able to offer the Gunners a helping hand.
He is eager to add Zinchenko to his Fenerbahce squad before the window slams shut, according to Turkish outlet X Sports. It is claimed that Mourinho wants to use the 28-year-old as a defensive midfielder this season.
Fenerbahce are said to have already submitted a bid for Zinchenko, who is also capable of playing at left-back or further up the pitch. Last month, it was reported by Corriere dello Sport that Arsenal would accept offers in the region of £17million.
If they can negotiate a sale, it would give them more funds to aid their pursuit of Eze. However, it remains to be seen if Fenerbahce are willing to meet Arsenal’s demands.
Zinchenko is not the only player who could leave the club over the coming weeks. Reiss Nelson has been linked with a return to Fulham, having spent the previous campaign on loan at Craven Cottage.
Fulham are chasing a loan deal but Arsenal would prefer to sell the winger, according to The Mirror. Any money generated would go down as pure profit, given that Nelson is a graduate of their academy system.
Jakub Kiwior has also been tipped to leave the Gunners following the arrival of Cristhian Mosquera, who joined from Valencia last month.
