Just a few hours before Arsenal finished Eberechi Eze's contract, Tottenham Hotspur rushed to make a proposal that they believe Crystal Palace will accept. An oral agreement was agreed. But Spurs never get a definitive answer.
After many days of tense negotiations between Daniel Levy and Steve Parish, Arsenal surprisingly finished in just a few hours. British media revealed that the "Gunners" have actually reached a principle agreement with Palace since Sunday morning, August 10. They kept it almost a secret, to the point that after only the scandals on Wednesday evening, new sources began to confirm it simultaneously.
It is worth mentioning that in the nine days of waiting, there were signs that Arsenal would not activate the deal. Rumors have been circulating that they need to sell less before buying, while giving preference to a left winger.
The interest in Eze is constantly low, creating a controversial picture. This reflects the summer of Arsenal and the English star.
Daniel Levy is certainly feeling that clearly. It is surprising that this situation has brought Spurs' President sympathy from many players. The negotiation to bring Eze to Tottenham has long been a problem.
In fact, trouble had arisen right before that. The deal was on the brink of collapse last week and has been delayed by controversy over additives and initial payments. After arranging a problem, a new problem immediately arose.
Over the past few days, the most accurate description of the deal has been: "a deal that was close to completion but kept on the brink of breaking up."
There is now widespread confidence, especially within Spurs, that Palace are deliberately extending the time. They want to wait for Arsenal to return to the negotiation table, because competition always means a higher price.
However, last weekend, things seemed to have gone too far. Even Eze is starting to believe that Arsenal will never appear. He even spoke directly to Steve Parish to promote a deal, in the context that Levy and the Palace president were set to meet on Monday morning.
Eze is excited about the prospect of playing for Tottenham, but deep inside, it is not what he craves most. His dream has always been the Emirates.
And then, suddenly everything seemed to reverse. Arsenal unexpectedly activated a deal that had been kept secret for so long. This turning point is partly due to Kai Havertz's injury, although there is still hope that the German player will be out for less than 3 months.
However, the Havertz incident has made Arsenal no longer want to take risks. They decided to take action, to ensure that Eze's dream - and their own ambitions - are not out of reach.
Parish and Arsenal executive vice president Tim Lewis have a closer relationship than Daniel Levy, although their relationship has also been hotly contested. The two sides still regularly discuss regulations and other issues in football.
Arsenal also have the players that Palace really need. The possibility of Jakub Kiwior arriving at Selhurst Park is very high, because Oliver Glasner's team is hungry for a central defender to strengthen the defense.
As for Arsenal, they are forced to spend more than they were initially agreed to ensure the deal does not fall into Tottenham's hands. If the fee was previously only 50 million pounds with 10 million pounds of additional fees, this time the figure has increased to 60 million pounds plus 7.5 million pounds of additional fees.
This figure almost coincides with Eze's release clause, which expired on the last day of the transfer window. Notably, this is also a higher price than Spurs' final offer.
Parish has once again shown its vagueness in negotiations. He helped Palace get the best deal in the midst of being forced to part ways with one of the greatest players in the club's history.
