Man Utd ‘alert’ after Crystal Palace star rejects new contract; Arsenal also interested in 10-goal maestro
Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze has rejected a new contract offer at Selhurst Park, amid interest from Arsenal and Manchester United.
The England international struggled to nail down a regular place in the Eagles’ starting line-up under Patrick Vieira but was revitalised after Roy Hodgson’s return to Selhurst Park in March, scoring six goals in Palace’s last ten games.
Overall, Eze featured in all 38 Premier League matches for Crystal Palace last season, notching 10 goals and providing four assists along the way.
The 25-year-old’s performances were key to keeping Crystal Palace in the Premier League and earned him a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad in May.
His form has caught the attention of several top clubs, including Arsenal, where Eze began his footballing career as a youth player.
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Manchester United also considered signing Eze before they decided to bring in Mason Mount. Now, it seems the Crystal Palace star has his eyes on a move to a top Premier League club in the future.
According to TEAMtalk, Eze has rejected a new contract offer from Crystal Palace. His current deal is valid until 2025 and Roy Hogdson wants him to commit his long-term future to the London club.
That doesn’t seem likely, however, with Man Utd now ‘alert’ to his situation.
Although it seems unlikely the Eagles will allow him to leave this summer, Man Utd, or indeed Arsenal, may make a move for Eze next summer if he still refuses to pen a new deal.
Interestingly, Eze’s former teammate Clinton Morrison recently tipped him to join a ‘top Premier League club’ in the future.
“He [Eze] goes at his own beat and he’s smooth, silky, sharp and kind of graceful at the same time. He has this ability to change the game,” Morrison told talkSPORT.
“Having seen those glimpses of it at QPR, it was like: ‘You need to be more consistent. You need more’.
“When he was making that jump to Crystal Palace, I’ll never forget I said [to him]: ‘It’s a different beast in the Premier League. You won’t be the number ten because you have to earn it. You can’t be that luxury player [as] you’ve got to do both sides.’
“I think he experienced that in the first six months or so because he was starting and then all of a sudden, he kind of drifted out a little bit. He got a sense that yeah, you have to work both sides.
“Then it became about how you can have an effect on every single game and being the creative guy that he is but also, [adding the] work rate at a consistent level.
“I had a good buddy of mine, Jack Butland, at Crystal Palace and I said: ‘How’s Ebs doing?’ and he said his ability was a joke and he kind of said the same thing that he’ll learn and get through it.
“Now, you’re seeing the potential that he has and he’s got a bright, bright future ahead of him.”
“For me, I think he’ll get there [to a top club], 100 per cent. It’s just [about] time, experience, more games under his belt, more opportunities to show his ability and [to] bang in more goals. He has it.
“Can he do it consistently every game and be that impactful? I believe he can and you’ll see it.”
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