Manchester City have a reputation for their savvy in the transfer market, but they might be upstaged by Tottenham in the race for one of this summer’s hottest Premier League transfer targets.
Crystal Palace’s playmaker Eberechi Eze is attracting significant attention, with many rumors linking him to a move. He’s valued at around $77.5 million (£60 million / €71.4 million), and while other Palace players like Michael Olise and Marc Guehi are also in demand, no team has clearly taken the lead—until now.
According to Alex Crook from talkSPORT, Tottenham is currently ahead of Manchester City in the pursuit of Eze. On his podcast, Premier League All Access, Crook mentioned that Spurs are leading the race, although there are some conditions to be met before a deal can be finalized.
“Tottenham’s interest is further along this summer,” Crook explained. “With City, it hinges on whether Kevin De Bruyne leaves, but that seems unlikely this summer. It’s more probable he’ll move next year.”
Crook noted that Tottenham would need to make space in their squad for Eze, which could be facilitated by recent developments, such as the loan of midfielder Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg to Marseille.
On the other hand, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has strongly indicated that De Bruyne is staying put. Despite speculation linking De Bruyne to Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad, Guardiola has made it clear that the Belgian star will remain at City. “Kevin isn’t leaving,” Guardiola affirmed before a preseason match against Celtic in the United States.
