Tottenham have thrusted themselves back into the market for a new playmaker, aiming to put their Eberechi Eze disaster behind them.
Spurs’ transfer plans were dealt a brutal blow after losing out on Eze in midweek, with Arsenal swooping in to hijack their deal on Wednesday night.
Daniel Levy earmarked the Crystal Palace star as their next marquee summer signing, a creative spark to soften the loss of Son Heung-min and cover for James Maddison’s devastating ACL injury. But just when it seemed they were in pole position, Arsenal made their move.
The Gunners opened talks with Palace and quickly accelerated negotiations. Eze, who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, agreed to the switch despite also shaking hands on personal terms with Thomas Frank‘s side.
“Understand Spurs agreed to Palace’s terms today and had agreed terms with Eze. The player was ready to come to Tottenham. Palace hadn’t finalised the deal as they wanted him available for tomorrow night’s European game,” said Alasdair Gold on X.
“Then Arsenal came in late this afternoon – also agreeing to Palace’s terms – and the player chose Arsenal due to his connection to them.”
For Tottenham, it’s a gut punch. The club had identified Eze as the player to carry the creative burden, particularly after Maddison’s long-term setback left a gaping hole in the number 10 role.
Losing out on him to their north London rivals only rubs more salt in the wound, especially after weeks of groundwork laid behind the scenes.
Spurs are now left scrambling for alternatives, but there’s no hiding the frustration. Eze ticked every box: proven Premier League quality, versatility across the front line, and the confidence to deliver in big moments. His numbers at Palace speak volumes, but it’s his ability to glide past defenders and unlock stubborn backlines that Frank will miss most.
Whoever comes in Eze’s stead will be crucial, and there is someone who the Tottenham recruitment team seriously want to sign.
Tottenham think Morgan Rogers is the “perfect” Eberechi Eze alternative
Speaking on his YouTube channel after Eze’s move to Arsenal broke, Fabrizio Romano shared that their dream number 10 alternative is Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.
The England winger, valued at around £80 million, bagged a sensational 14 goals and 16 assists in all competitions last term as Unai Emery’s key attacking star, and he has real admirers inside Spurs.
Romano says Tottenham view Rogers as the “perfect” candidate for their attacking midfield role, but as things stand, it’s an almost impossible deal to pull off.
“They started making some calls today to try to understand the situation for new players to add to their squads,” said the reliable journalist.
“One of the dream targets they have at Tottenham internally is Morgan Rogers at Aston Villa, but it is seen as a very difficult deal because Villa don’t want to lose the player.
“People in the industry believe that this deal is almost impossible for Morgan Rogers, but I can tell you Tottenham are thinking about him as a perfect candidate.”
He mentions other candidates in his video, like Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, but the prospect of an ambitious late move for Rogers is very tantalising, albeit unlikely.
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