MAC OF THE NET: Tottenham dallied over finalising a deal for Eberechi Eze and allowed fierce rivals Arsenal to swoop in and land the Crystal Palace star from under their noses - to their embarrassment
09:00, 23 Aug 2025
Chris McKenna
Chris McKenna is the Daily Star's boxing correspondent and an expert voice on the 'sweet science', along with a hugely experienced football reporter, who primarily focuses on Merseyside giants Liverpool and Everton. He has covered world title fights all around the world, Champions League finals, FA Cup finals and Premier League title deciders.
Eberechi Eze
Eberechi Eze snubbed Tottenham to join Arsenal at the last minute
Welcome to Tottenham Hotspur, Thomas Frank.
If he thought the nice 3-0 home win over Burnley at the swanky stadium was how life at Spurs would be like then this week would have been a wake up call. The former Brentford boss must have thought he had a brilliant new signing coming his way in the form of Eberechi Eze.
So much so there was even speculation that Eze wouldn’t play for Palace in their season opener against Chelsea because a deal was so close. The alarm bells should have been ringing for Frank as he was tucking into his lunch when Eze did line up against the Blues last Sunday.
READ MORE: Arsenal's Eberechi Eze transfer could be problem for team-mate who sparked dealREAD MORE: Eberechi Eze joins 10 biggest transfer hijack humiliations of Premier League era
Little did he know that Arsenal were watching and waiting. They played their North London rivals for fools. Tottenham dithered and dallied on the details of the finances while the Gunners waited for it to almost all be agreed and Palace played along saying they wanted the player for their Europa League Conference game.
Once it was almost done, Arsenal swooped for a player they’ve known since earlier this summer preferred a move to the Emirates. Smart business by Arsenal. Stupidity by Spurs to allow it to happen.
Daniel Levy and Co were left with egg on their faces but now with a supporters base ready to boil over. Frank, who was dealt the news of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski facing months out with knee injuries, needs reinforcements in his attacking midfield line up.
Levy and Co have now had a botched attempt at signing Morgan Gibbs-White and Eze. They did at least bring in Mohammed Kudus from West Ham. There are many just assuming Spurs will catapult themselves up the table and will be tussling it out for the European spots.
Thomas Frank
Spurs boss Thomas Frank has now been left scrambling with the transfer deadline approaching(Image: Chris Ricco - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Winning the Europa League last season was a huge achievement and gave their fans a night they’ll never forget. But that, coupled with Manchester United being so terrible last season, has meant people seem to be forgetting just how bad Spurs were last term.
They finished below United. They sacked their manager because they were so bad even though he led them to a major trophy. Now Joao Palhinha on loan looks a good loan signing if he can find the form he had at Fulham before he went to Bayern Munich.
Kevin Danso is decent at the back but Mathys Tel’s loan being made permanent is far from inspiring. Tottenham have backed Frank as the manager to get them back up the table and competing in Europe. But they are not backing him properly in the transfer market.
Now they have the added embarrassment of being beaten to the signature of an exciting England international who would have got their fans rightly excited. Levy will be praying Eze doesn’t score the winner in a North London derby.
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Unai Emery and Aston Villa saying the Profit and Sustainability Rules mean clubs like theirs cannot dream.
Aston Villa's Spanish head coach Unai Emery gestures on the touchline
Unai Emery's Aston Villa can't spend big this summer - but it's their own fault(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Now there’s plenty in PSR which can be argued but clubs moaning that they can’t just blow more cash is a bit wild. Especially when you consider that since Villa returned to the Premier League in 2019 they’ve managed to spend close to £750m.
In that time they have qualified for the Champions League once but have no silverware to show for it. Liverpool have spent roughly about £30m more. In that time they have two Premier League titles, two League Cups and an FA Cup to show for it.
PSR is far from perfect and it needs reviewing but it is tiresome to hear clubs who constantly spend big complaining they cannot spend more. They have to sell players to balance the books because they have budgeted poorly.
ONSIDE
Antoine Semenyo. Stood up to racist abuse with two goals at Anfield.
OFFSIDE
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