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Topics: Arsenal, Champions League, Football, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, Transfer News
Ben McAleer
Topics: Arsenal, Champions League, Football, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, Transfer News
Arsenal completed an unreal transfer hijack as they pipped north London rivals Tottenham to the signing of Eberechi Eze.
Spurs had cooled their interest in the Crystal Palace star earlier in the summer but returned for Eze after James Maddison suffered a season-ending ACL injury at the start of August. In that time, Arsenal, who were the frontrunners for the 27-year-old, opted to step away from any potential deal for the attacker.
However, confirmation that Kai Havertz had sustained a knee injury on Wednesday prompted Arsenal to dip back into the market for Eze and they are close to confirming his arrival from Palace having been given the ‘Here We Go!’ treatment from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner has confirmed, though, that Eze will start for the south London side when they take on Fredrikstad in their UEFA Conference League playoff on Thursday night.
“Many of you were surprised [Eze] and Marc [Guehi] started against Chelsea, most of you will be surprised that they will start again tomorrow,” the Austrian is quoted as saying by The Standard.
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“They are committed to the team. The player gives 100% because he is under contract. We don't have to say thank you every day, he is getting a few pounds every week.”
That has heightened worries that Eze would therefore be cup tied for Arsenal’s Champions League campaign with the former QPR man tipped to make his European debut in what is expected to be his final Palace appearance.
Fear not though Arsenal fans as Eze will be fine to take part in Europe’s elite club competition this season.
UEFA regulations allow for a player to represent more than one club per season in their competitions, but only under certain stipulations. A player who represents a team in a playoff or qualifying for any of UEFA’s top three competitions – Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League – can then represent a different side from the league phase of another competition.
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As Palace’s meeting with Fredrikstad on Thursday night is a playoff, he is therefore free to represent Arsenal in the league phase of the Champions League.
The Gunners have already progressed to the league stage of Europe’s elite competition having finished second in the Premier League, meaning they’ll have no issues registering Eze for the Champions League next month.
Eze is set to be the latest in a long line of new additions at the Emirates, with Arsenal busy in the market as they look to end a lengthy wait for the Premier League title.
The Gunners have added Kepa, Cristhian Mosquera, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke to the squad already this summer.