🚨🔴⚪️ Crystal Palace accept tonight £60m package from Arsenal for Eberechi Eze, agreement club to club done.

Arsenal finalising contract terms with Eze with player keen on joining #AFC project.

⏳🧨 pic.twitter.com/q77pkQ2JzT

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 20, 2025

Im guessing he is gonna be the left sided Nwaneri (LCM & LW) with Trossard/Merino as the backup ST until Kai returns.

Sounds like he is going to be allowed to play for Palace tomorrow in the Conference League. Hope he gets through unscathed.

chjoak said:

---

🚨🔴⚪️ Crystal Palace accept tonight £60m package from Arsenal for Eberechi Eze, agreement club to club done.

Arsenal finalising contract terms with Eze with player keen on joining #AFC project.

⏳🧨 pic.twitter.com/q77pkQ2JzT

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 20, 2025

---

the spurs thread is not happy.

A bit hard to tell but it sounds like Arsenal's been working on getting this done for a few days, so still not totally sure how much it relates to the Havertz injury.

If he is right, this legit all went down TODAY.

Eberechi Eze to Arsenal Football Club.

- Andrea made the call and Eze ordered his agents to cut all communication with the scum.

- Parish was out today enjoying a casual shopping day. He has been left astounded by how fast Andrea has completed this hijack.

- Josh Kroenke…

— HandöfArsenal (@HandofArsenal) August 20, 2025

French journo claims we are in for Fofana as well? Could that be legit? Are we gonna move Marti and replace with Fofana?

Hugo Guillemet is TIER 1 for Lyon. https://t.co/WJYlwdDag8

— Eduardo Hagn (@EduardoHagn) August 20, 2025

Have to move Martinelli on if we're gonna sign Fofana. That'd be another 40m out there door. And you need income

Supposedly said he had no interest in Saudi previously but I wonder if something has changed?

Exclusive 💣

Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 clubs are circling around Gabriel Martinelli.

One club ready to pay £80m + for his services.

The option is there if @Arsenal decide to cash 💷 in. pic.twitter.com/lJt6suHsDf

— indykaila News (@indykaila) August 20, 2025

If we legit plan to use Eze at LW, replacing 24yo Martinelli with 20yo Fofana kinda makes sense. I've very torn because I am iffy about Eze at LW and really like Marti but if 80m is legit....

I agree. Martinelli is one of my favorite players in the squad. I don't think any other than Odegaard works as hard across a match. Nor am I overly surprised that a young Brazilian Christian doesn't want to go to Saudi. Its still looked at as a career ending move by most fans and athletes. Even with the insane wages

Miguel Delany put out on article about the Eze move in which they're saying we had the principles of a deal agreed upon as early as Sunday August 10th. They said we'd paused everything based on wanting to sell someone first.

Same article also suggest the Kai injury may be less than 3 months which would be amazing (although I won't hold my breath)

wangus12 said:

---

I agree. Martinelli is one of my favorite players in the squad. I don't think any other than Odegaard works as hard across a match. Nor am I overly surprised that a young Brazilian Christian doesn't want to go to Saudi. Its still looked at as a career ending move by most fans and athletes. Even with the insane wages

---

He does look Saudi though

I assume we put a high priority on getting Nelson, Vieira, Sambi, OZ and/or Kiwior off the roster asap and are open to Marti/Trossard for the right fee.

Think there is still a decent chance at another add (or 2) but only if we can get several of these guys out.

Yeah, several folks have indicated directly or indirectly we had been moving on Eze and headed towards getting a deal done. It sounds like Arsenal may have finally said "let's get this done."

Can't tell if that was because of the Havertz news or fear Tottenham was about to complete it or a combination or what.

TXAggie2011 said:

---

Yeah, several folks have indicated directly or indirectly we had been moving on Eze and headed towards getting a deal done. It sounds like Arsenal may have finally said "let's get this done."

Can't tell if that was because of the Havertz news or fear Tottenham was about to complete it or a combination or what.

---

Why didn't we do that for Sesko. I'm not anti-Gyokeres and I think he'll score some goals for us but I would have preferred the younger option from the better league.

chjoak said:

---

I assume we put a high priority on getting Nelson, Vieira, Sambi, OZ and/or Kiwior off the roster asap and are open to Marti/Trossard for the right fee.

Think there is still a decent chance at another add (or 2) but only if we can get several of these guys out.

---

Honestly, we play a demanding and complex brand of soccer and I don't know if more turnover is the right thing for us.

I think we might be better off with the guys we have and finding ways to play with a little more variety. We can go into next summer with one position in mind (LW) and make the decisions then.

If we're not bringing in an absolute rock star, I'm not sure that's a good move.

IMO, the problem with doing a deal for Sesko was Leipzig. MU gave a lot for this young, unproven player who appears to have potential but has he proven the financial rating via performance. MU has spent well over 200MM pounds in acquiring Mbeumo, Cunha and Sesko. I recall AFC getting frustrated with Leipzig negotiation tactics. It seems MU gave them everything they wanted, and more.

Sport Bild report that Manchester United will pay RB Leipzig 8.5m in bonuses in addition to the 76.5m base fee. The Premier League club will also pay 3.5m out to clubs that Sesko played for between the ages of 12 and 23, which would usually be taken upon by the selling club, but United have assumed the 'solidarity contribution'.

Manchester United will then play a friendly with RB Leipzig which has to be played by 2029 this match should generate around 2m. Sport Bild then add that Leipzig have secured a ten percent share of any resale should Sesko leave United.

I am partial to VG because I believe he is "EPL-ready". With KH's injury, it helps to have a more mature experienced player being thrust into the role. I'm also excited about Eze stepping into the squad and happy to see the deal done. If the sale of Martinelli is going to generate the sizable fee as speculated then do the deal. I want AFC to be more "ruthless" when it comes to selling players…it has to be financially driven and smart biz; no more hanging onto players who are on huge wages and not contributing. Jesus is one of my favorite players ever, but should have been sold when the demand was there. Someone mentioned selling Trossard in a previous post - I agree wholeheartedly - I like Trossard, but sell him and earn the fee while it is possible. Probably won't happen now due to the injury.

Really hope KH knee situation is 3-months rather than big surgery and a full season. Also curious to see what happens with Rodrygo; he was left out of RM's latest match and Gooner Talk has mentioned a potential loan deal.

Pulled this from Goal.com. Appears to be well sourced and will throw in link later. Either way, why would AFC ever agree to the exit clause?

"Speaking on the Transfers Podcast, journalist Duncan Castles said: "I understand that Sesko is asking for an exit clause on any deal he agrees with Arsenal and he would like that release clause to be set at just 20% increase on whatever price they end up paying for him."

He added: "It's quite unusual to ask for something like that when you're moving from, let's say a second-tier European club to one that is perceived as a first-tier club and one of the most financially affluent clubs in European football and I think it's unlikely that Arsenal would agree to a deal on those terms."

This is very likely where injury to MH occurred - Ugarte challenge. I remember thinking I hope he is not hurt.

🎥 The challenge from Manuel Ugarte which potentially led to Kai Havertz sustaining a knee injury. 😬
pic.twitter.com/VJFAXqyVnp

— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) August 20, 2025

One thing I maybe wouldn't mind seeing against the lower table teams that we know are gonna sit back is to play in a 4-1-4-1 where we drop one of Zubi or Rice and play 2 10s with Eze and Odegaard in the middle.

Also just announced that Eze is NOT playing tonight for Crystal Palace in the Euro Conference League

Think there is some validity to your suggestion, especially if/when Rice or Zubi needs a rest. In the event that neither needs a break, I'd rather not drop them. Likely won't happen but hear me out.... 3-2-2-3 or 3-2-3-2.....

----------- Vik -------------
Marti -------------- Saka
----- Eze ---- MO -------
--- Rice ------- Zubi ----
Gabi -- Saliba -- White
---------- Raya -----------

----- Vik ------- Kai ------
Eze ----- MO ----- Saka
--- Rice ------- Zubi ----
Gabi -- Saliba -- White
---------- Raya -----------

Yeah I definitely thought about the 3 in defense as well to keep the 2 midfielders in there. I'd be fine with either

I've long wanted to see us drop Rice back to the #6 (sometimes) and allow someone with a little more offensive punch play the left 8 to see what happens.

Obviously it depends on the game state and we will want to play Zubimendi a lot and we also have Noorgaard, but Rice decidedly does not get the maximum out of our left wingers.

I love a well run 3-2-3-2 formation.

wangus12 said:

---

Also just announced that Eze is NOT playing tonight for Crystal Palace in the Euro Conference League

---

lol, but I thought today's game was the whole reason the Spurs missed their chance to sign him?

Oliver Glasner on Eze: “Honestly, I expected him to start today, but he called me this morning & said he doesn’t feel well to play. I have to accept it. Everything else, you have to ask the chairman!” 🤣

🎥 @Channel5Sport pic.twitter.com/buKFVNQpBO

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) August 21, 2025

Mokbel saying Havertz out around 8 weeks. If true, thats far better than we expected. Sounds like its a meniscus issue

Havertz and Norgaard out this weekend. Ben White is a doubt. Timber is on load management.

Might end up seeing Dowman on the bench tomorrow.

I wonder how long it will be for the Eze deal to get done.

Is Nwaneri healthy?

supposed to have medical today

Dowman makes the bench.
Noni starts.
Rumors that Eze will be announced pregame.

❤️🤍✨ Official, confirmed. Eberechi Eze joins Arsenal from Crystal Palace for £60m plus add-ons.

Move completed as he wanted Arsenal as dream move this summer. 💭 pic.twitter.com/Wuc5P006IV

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 23, 2025

Nice save Raya!