Arsenal’s pursuit of Eberechi Eze is seemingly being hindered by four players still on the books at the club. The Gunners appear in danger of being hijacked by rivals Tottenham over a move for the Crystal Palace star, having appeared reluctant so far to meet the demanded £68million fee.
Mikel Arteta has already been permitted to spend £200m on six new players this summer transfer window. Viktor Gyokeres has proved the most expensive addition, arriving from Sporting CP in a deal potentially worth £63m. Now, in order to balance the books, the Spaniard faces having to offload players if he is to bring in more big-name stars by the September 1 deadline.
Express Sport looks at four squad members currently hindering Arsenal’s chase for Eze…
Leandro Trossard
The addition of Noni Madueke makes the prospect of Trossard cementing a role as a regular starter this season even less likely. With 12 months left on his current deal, the Gunners need to sell imminently if they are to command a healthy fee for the 30-year-old.
The Gunners need a deal that not only gets Trossard off the books but also offers a healthy return on the £27m they paid Brighton for his services in 2022. He still possesses enough quality and threat to attract suitors too.
Oleksandr Zinchenko
The Ukrainian left-back was perhaps the only figure at Arsenal who was not enthused last season by the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly. Now, very much a back-up option behind the youngster, Riccardo Calafiori, and even Jurrien Timber, the Athletic has reported he is free to leave the club.
Indeed, he has voiced his frustration about the ‘sense of rejection’ from Arteta. Like Trossard, he only has a year left on his contract. Amid interest from AC Milan, club chiefs need to negotiate a move rather than let him sit on his wages for 12 months.
Fabio Vieira
Spent last season at Porto on loan, and the signings of Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi mean he’ll likely be farmed out next season too if he can’t get a forward move. At 25, he still has the quality to offer long-term value elsewhere, and the Gunners need to cash in while they can.
Reiss Nelson
Like Vieira, he was given a temporary move last year, but Fulham appears to have declined any chance to make it permanent. The 25-year-old is unlikely to feature heavily outside of domestic cup action at the Emirates, and a sale before September 1 would suit him and boost the Eze pursuit.
