Arsenal move ahead of Spurs in race for £60m Eze

Eberechi Eze scored 20 goals in 112 appearances at Queens Park Rangers before moving to Crystal Palace

Eberechi Eze is expected to join Arsenal for £60m after the Gunners reached an agreement in principle to sign the forward from Crystal Palace.

Sources have told BBC Sport that Eze favours a move to Arsenal, with whom he started his youth career, despite north London rivals Tottenham having been in talks to sign him.

A deal for Spurs to sign Eze had been agreed between the clubs earlier on Wednesday after talks lasting 10 days, sources said, but it was not finalised.

Arsenal's offer also includes £8m in add-ons.

The Gunners have concerns over a knee injury sustained by attacker Kai Havertz and Eze, 27, would offer Mikel Arteta a fresh option in advanced areas.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner said on Wednesday that Eze would start in Thursday's Uefa Conference League play-off tie against Fredrikstad, along with Liverpool-linked Marc Guehi, as they remain "committed to the team".

Sources have told BBC Sport that Eze wants to join Arsenal before the transfer window closes on 1 September.

Eze had a goal ruled out when Palace began their Premier League campaign with a draw at Chelsea on Sunday.

The England international has an expired release clause in his contract which was worth an initial £60m, plus a further £8m in add-ons.

Palace benefited hugely from Eze's 14 goals across all competitions last season, which included a strike in their 1-0 FA Cup final win against Manchester City.

Eze joined the Eagles from Queens Park Rangers for £19.5m in 2020 and his current deal runs until the summer of 2027.

One of the moments of the transfer window for Arsenal

If Arsenal beat their rivals Tottenham to complete the signing of Eze, there is little doubt it would be one of the standout moments of the transfer window.

It's certainly a moment their fans will revel in.

Spurs would have thought they had their man almost signed and sealed, but things can change quickly in football.

Arsenal had been actively looking at options in the market and have been monitoring Eze for a long time.

With Ethan Nwaneri signing a new deal and the signing of Noni Madueke adding to the options provided by Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, signing another forward was not a pressing need.

However, Kai Havertz's knee injury has changed things, and although the Gunners do not yet know how long the German faces out of action, a reinforcement was needed.

A blow for Spurs

For Tottenham, news that Eze is on the brink of joining Arsenal will be a major blow.

New boss Thomas Frank had targeted Eze after losing James Maddison to injury and the club had been confident of completing a deal.

Club insiders at Tottenham insist there is nothing more they could have done to sign Eze, and the fact that he was a boyhood Arsenal fan who was in the club's academy until he was 13 meant that once the Gunners came in for him there was only one place he would end up.