Bayern Munich are rivalling Arsenal in the race to sign Crystal Palace and England star Eberechi Eze this summer.
Having completed deals for Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga, the Gunners’ hierarchy intend to focus their efforts on strengthening Mikel Arteta’s attacking options before the transfer deadline.
Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres is set to fly to London to complete a medical in the coming days, with Arsenal seeing off strong competition from Manchester United to land the prolific Swede.
Noni Madueke is expected to follow Gyokeres through the doors at the Emirates after Arsenal wrapped up an agreement with Chelsea worth over £50million for the winger, despite some scepticism amongst the fanbase.
Eze also finds himself at the top of Arsenal’s transfer shortlist on the back of an eye-catching season with Palace last term, in which he finished the Premier League campaign with eight goals and eight assists to his name.
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The England international is said to be open to the prospect of joining Arsenal to play Champions League football, 14 years after being released by the club as a teenager in the academy.
But according to The Sun, Arsenal face the real possibility of missing out on Eze, with Bayern stepping up their interest and ready to go head-to-head for the versatile Palace man.
The report claims the Gunners are ‘desperate’ to lure Eze to north London, but have a ‘major battle’ on their hands, with the Bundesliga champions posing a significant threat.
Bayern have been forced to intensify their search for attacking reinforcements after Jamal Musiala was ruled out for between four and five months with a fibula fracture and dislocated ankle.
The German giants also lost Leroy Sane last month, with the winger – a four-time Bundesliga winner – completing a move to Galatasaray after turning down a bumper new contract at the Allianz Arena.
Vincent Kompany is said to be keen on the idea of a reunion between Eze and Michael Olise next season and the Belgian has been actively encouraging Bayern bosses to pursue a deal for the former QPR star.
Bayern have also been credited with a strong interest in Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku after being beaten to a deal for Florian Wirtz by Liverpool earlier this summer.
Palace are in no hurry to part with Eze, though, and have told potential suitors they must pay the FA Cup winner’s release clause in full, which could total around £68m after bonuses.
Reports last week suggested Arsenal could be prepared to offer Palace a ‘promising defender’ as a makeweight in any deal to prise Eze away from Selhurst Park.
Eze’s current contract with Palace is due to expire in June 2027.
After last summer’s transfer window slammed shut, Palace chairman Steve Parish said he was ‘genuinely astounded’ that there wasn’t more interest in Eze.
‘I was really worried from a club point of view of losing Michael [Olise] and Ebbs in the same window and we didn’t have in Ebbs the interest that I thought we would have,’ he told Sky Sports.
‘I was astounded. Genuinely astounded. I mean, the guy’s just an outstanding footballer, an outstanding person.’
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