It was a matter of hours between Kai Havertz’s injury and Arsenal wrapping up a deal for Eberechi Eze from right under Tottenham’s noses.
Spurs have known for weeks that they would be without James Maddison for most of this season due to an ACL tear. They have spent days locked in a room with Crystal Palace’s representatives, bickering over add-ons and semantics.
Now, they have another Willian on their hands. It is nothing short of humiliation.
The kindest interpretation is that Palace were desperate to keep hold of Eze until Thursday’s Conference League tie with Fredrikstad at Selhurst Park – in that light, perhaps there was nothing more Daniel Levy could have done to get the deal over the line before then?
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank (left) and chairman of Tottenham Hotspur Daniel Levy arrives to the stadium ahead of the pre-season friendly match at Kenilworth Road, Luton. Picture date: Saturday July 26, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Nigel French/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
It is a devastating blow to Levy and Frank (Photo: PA)
Here’s why that won’t wash with their supporters. Palace will have had exactly the same stance with Arsenal. The deal on the table was just better, closer to his release clause of £68m – and the player himself, given his previous history with Spurs’ rivals, had his head turned almost immediately.
Eze was released by Arsenal as a 13-year-old. He has spoken of the days spent in tears after receiving the news, and a career spent trying desperately to prove a point to the club that let him go.
Given the choice, there was never going to be any contest, particularly with Mikel Arteta’s side among the favourites to win the Premier League this season while their neighbours embark on a rebuild under Thomas Frank.
It should never have been allowed to get to that stage. Eze had a choice because of Tottenham’s dithering. It is yet another lesson in decisiveness and what happens in a cutthroat market if clubs are not willing to move fast.
Even if Maddison were fit, Frank may well have wanted another No 10 anyway, as evidenced by the pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White. That ended in an embarrassing climbdown too, with the midfielder signing a contract extension with Nottingham Forest.
They have known all summer that they needed more firepower. Why could they not compete for Bryan Mbeumo, who preferred a move to a Manchester United side that can’t even offer European football? Where were they when Everton were signing a risk-free Jack Grealish on loan, with Manchester City shouldering a good portion of his wages?
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The irony is that while so many clubs are hamstrung by PSR, Tottenham are one of the few to whom that does not apply. Levy’s advocates might suggest that is precisely because he won’t be held to ransom over a few million pounds.
Nobody seriously believes Tottenham should be making transfer decisions based on what Arsenal might or might not do, but it was never beyond the realms of possibility that this was exactly how it would transpire.
Arteta’s interest in Eze was long-standing – it did not come out of the blue, though they were jolted into action by the news that Havertz would be out for a prolonged period.
There is now huge pressure on Levy to get a deal with Manchester City for Savinho – or a respectable alternative – done. If they manage that, it will not have been a disastrous window, with Mohammed Kudus’ addition the highlight.
The feeling nags, however, that it has not been good enough. Frank’s squad just does not have the depth to seriously compete on four fronts right now.
That is ultimately what matters, rather than the optics of how bad this looks. But make no mistake – the Eze saga has a sickening feel that threatens to turn Tottenham’s summer into a laughing stock.