Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze was named in manager Oliver Glasner’s starting XI for Sunday’s clash with Chelsea, despite strong transfer speculation linking him with a move to Tottenham Hotspur. The 27-year-old was initially expected to miss the Premier League match, with reports suggesting talks between Palace and Spurs were advancing.
Justifying the faith shown in him by his manager, Eberechi Eze thought he had given Crystal Palace the perfect start at Stamford Bridge with a stunning free-kick in the 13th minute. After Will Hughes was brought down by Marc Cucurella on the edge of the box, Eze stepped up and lashed a powerful effort into the net, leaving Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez rooted to the spot.
However, Palace’s celebrations were cut short. Initially awarded, the goal was reviewed by VAR after replays showed Marc Guehi had shoved Moises Caicedo inside the wall, creating the gap for Eze’s strike. Referee Darren England was sent to the monitor and overturned the decision, ruling out the opener. The Premier League later clarified that the infringement came because Guehi was standing too close to the Chelsea wall at the moment the free-kick was taken.
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Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner opted to keep faith in his talisman, signalling that Palace remain focused on matters on the pitch rather than transfer noise. Speaking pre-match, the Eagles boss urged fans not to “believe everything reported” about his squad’s future.
Glasner said,
“Very good, otherwise he wouldn’t start. There’s no reason not to start Eze. Good advice to all the children watching, don’t believe everything you read in the newspapers.”
The departure of captain Son Heung-min to LAFC, combined with James Maddison’s long-term ACL injury, has left big gaps in the Tottenham forward line. As a result, Tottenham have been pushing to secure Eze in a deal worth around £55 million, viewing him as a much-needed creative replacement. Arsenal, once interested, appear to have cooled their pursuit, leaving Spurs as frontrunners. However, negotiations with Palace have proven challenging for Spurs.
Talks between the two clubs reportedly reached a delicate stage over the weekend, with suggestions that Eze might be left out of the squad. Yet with no breakthrough reached, Palace reinstated their star man for the Stamford Bridge encounter. For now, Eze remains a Palace player. But it remains to be seen for how long as the clock ticks down toward the transfer deadline.
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