Spurs open Eze talks as they try to beat Arsenal to Palace attacker | Transfer window

Tottenham have opened talks over a move for Eberechi Eze, whose £68m release clause expires on Friday, and are pushing to beat Arsenal to the Crystal Palace attacker. Arsenal have indicated they need to make sales in attack before pressing ahead with their pursuit of the England international.

The delay from Arsenal, who are looking for buyers for Leandro Trossard, has opened the door for Spurs to act on their longstanding interest. Thomas Frank, the new Spurs manager, needs attacking additions after losing James Maddison to a long-term knee injury and missing out on the signing of Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White. They can offer Champions League football to Eze after winning the Europa League last season.

An agreement is yet to be reached and Spurs do not intend to meet Eze’s clause. A further complication for Spurs is that Arsenal are believed to be the 27-year-old’s favoured destination should he leave Palace.

Arsenal, who have bolstered their attack with the additions of Viktor Gyökeres and Noni Madueke, have shown ambition this summer as they aim to win the title for the first time since 2004. They have spent close to £200m and would like to shift unwanted players. Trossard has fallen down the pecking order in attack while Fábio Vieira has no future at the club.

Creativity was a problem for Arsenal last season when their hopes of keeping up with Liverpool foundered on a chronic lack of ruthlessness, causing them to draw too many winnable games. Arsenal have been in regular contact with Eze’s representatives over the summer to discuss a move for the player, who left their academy at the age of 13.

Palace, who have lost their appeal to be reinstated to the Europa League on Monday, will hope to hold on to their best attacker. Once Eze’s clause expires, they are expected to demand a similar fee that would include a significant chunk up front in order for them to find a replacement. Palace are believed to have targeted Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss.

Palace are trying to sell Marc Guéhi to avoid losing the defender for nothing next summer when his contract expires. He is a target for Liverpool.