Daniel Levy and co appear determined to put Tottenham’s Eberechi Eze humiliation firmly behind them, with Spurs considering a host of new late options for the number 10 role amid their dire need for a playmaker.
The Lilywhites, and Levy in particular, have attracted huge criticism after missing out on a deal for Eze – who had agreed personal terms to join Thomas Frank’s side with an agreement in principle also reached club-to-club.
However, Spurs’ apparent haggling over the 27-year-old’s now-expired £68 million release clause, as well as Palace’s hesitation, ultimately cost them.
Oliver Glasner’s side, at least initially, also wanted Eze to feature in their 1-0 Europa Conference League play-off win on Thursday.
“Spurs were the ones really pushing and in a one-horse race for much of last week but they didn’t get the deal done before the opening Premier League game of the season,” journalist Ben Jacobs said to talkSPORT, explaining exactly what happened behind-the-scenes.
“Eze played therefore against Chelsea in that 0-0 draw and that dilly-dallying or tough negotiation has ended up in hindsight coming back to bite Tottenham.
“As we moved into this week, Spurs reached an agreement in principle. They had a fee very similar to that of what Arsenal are paying of £60million plus add-ons.
“Kai Havertz picked up a knee injury and Arsenal said ‘we’ve done all of the leg work so let’s move’.
“Eze was therefore faced with a straight choice of Arsenal or Spurs and in that scenario with both having a club-to-club agreement, Eze was always going to pick Arsenal.
“It looks like Daniel Levy was too meticulous, but in fairness, Crystal Palace delayed as well because they didn’t want to finalise a deal with any club, allowing the possibility that Eze can play in the UEFA Conference League match on Thursday before now making his move to Arsenal.”
Following this second public transfer humiliation of the transfer window after their famously botched deal for Morgan Gibbs-White, Levy and Frank are now tasked with reacting in the strongest possible manner.
The Gibbs-White deal was, to give Tottenham their due, much more complicated. The north Londoners were ready to pay £60 million and trigger his release clause, only for Evangelos Marinakis to block the deal, threaten legal action and tie the 25-year-old down in never-before-seen fashion.
Eze’s was a case of being beaten to the punch in a more traditional hijack, something which Spurs have done themselves before, but Frank will be devastated to miss out on yet another world-class, Premier League-proven creator.
Tottenham make approach to sign Xavi Simons after Eberechi Eze blow
Speaking of hijacks, according to Fabrizio Romano, it is believed that top Chelsea target and RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons has found his way on to Levy’s transfer shortlist.
Chelsea have been in talks to sign Simons for a long time now, but their need to sell players, whilst not yet fully agreeing a deal with Leipzig, has delayed the Dutchman’s move to London.
Simoms has been a revelation for the Bundesliga side ever since he initially joined on loan at the start of 2023/2024, and this isn’t lost on Levy, with Romano claiming that Tottenham have made contact over Simons in recent days.
As Frank’s side seemingly consider hijacking a deal of their own, it appears they may not have much luck, with the player determined to join Chelsea right now.
“A player they would love to have, and they made some contact a few days ago already, was Xavi Simons.
“But Simons has his heart set on a move to Chelsea Football Club.
“So, now for Tottenham, it’s not going to be easy for sure after the crazy Morgan Gibbs-White story and after the Eze story, to try and understand what they can do next.
“Rogers very difficult, Simons wants to go to Chelsea, Tyler Dibling and Everton already in negotiations, obviously a different kind of player.”
The 22-year-old, who joined Leipzig from PSG permanently in January, became their highest-ever paid player in the process – earning £192,000-per-week.