July 31, 2025 – Palace’s £35m demand tests Arsenal’s pursuit of Eze. Arsenal’s pursuit of Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze faces a significant hurdle. This happened after Palace’s £35m demand upfront as part of a structured £67.5 million deal. Negotiations continue between the clubs. But Palace’s firm stance on immediate cash could force the Gunners into accelerated player sales to fund their priority target.
The Financial Standoff
Eze’s contract includes a release clause valued at £60 million guaranteed. Moreover, a surplus £7.5 million in add-ons, which expires on August 16 – just before the Premier League season begins. Palace have informed Arsenal they will not accept bids below this valuation. They insist on receiving £35 million as an initial payment. The remaining £25 million of the base fee would take place paid in instalments. This comes with bonuses potentially taking the total to £67.5 million.
Arsenal had hoped to spread the £60 million across three equal payments of £20 million. But, however, Palace’s demand for over half the fee upfront has complicated their financial planning. The Gunners have already committed over £200 million this summer on six players. This includes striker Viktor Gyökeres, leaving them reliant on outgoings to finance further moves.
Eze’s Journey and Palace’s Stakes
For 27-year-old Eze, transfer to Arsenal would likely be a bittersweet homecoming. After leaving the Gunners’ academy at 13, Eze had setbacks at Fulham and Millwall before getting his career back on track at QPR. Within a year of joining Palace from QPR for £17 million in 2020, he made frontline as their influential mate-maker. His match-winning goal in the 2025 FA Cup final, when now his side’s first major trophy, cemented his folklore status at Selhurst Park. Last season alone, he had 14 goals and 11 assists in 43 appearances, using his flair along with end-product.
Palace’s firm stance reflects Eze’s irreplaceability and manager Oliver Glasner’s frustration over stalled recruitment. With only 17 outfield players and new signings limited to goalkeeper Walter Benítez and defender Borna Sosa, Glasner warned of a “false start” if key departures precede reinforcements. He publicly lamented: “I was promised we would be more active… I hope we don’t lose any more”.
Arsenal’s Next Moves for Eze
To meet Palace’s demand, Arsenal must offload fringe players swiftly. Leandro Trossard (linked with Borussia Dortmund), Reiss Nelson (Fulham target), Fabio Vieira, and Oleksandr Zinchenko are among those available. Including Nelson in a swap deal has also been mooted.
Eze’s personal terms are not a hurdle – conversations with his representatives in June were positive, and he is already keen on a move. However, competition is stiff: Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea have all made contact with his camp, although it is Arsenal that look as though they are leading the race.
The Road Ahead
With the clause deadline two weeks away, Arsenal faces a tense balancing act: meeting Palace’s cash demand while managing Financial Fair Play constraints. For Palace, losing Eze without immediate reinvestment risks Glasner’s ire and tactical disruption. For Eze, it represents a chance to complete a career full-circle at a club where his journey began. Palace’s stance reflects Eze’s irreplaceable value following his FA Cup final heroics and 25 goal contributions last season, compounded by manager Oliver Glasner’s public frustration over stalled reinforcements and a threadbare squad.
Eze’s potential move also carries emotional weight—a homecoming 14 years after his Arsenal academy release—and sporting ambition, with personal terms already agreed. Yet Palace’s rigid deadline (August 16) and structural demands (£35m initial payment) risk derailing talks, especially with Glasner warning a “false start” looms if sales precede signings. Ultimately, this standoff transcends finances, testing Arsenal’s resolve in squad building and Palace’s capacity to retain their crown jewel amid institutional uncertainty.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
