Report: Pep Guardiola have a serious stands to sign the 25-year-old player, which his team refers to as a world best player

Crystal Palace are reportedly close to signing in-demand attacker Eberechi Eze to a new deal at Selhurst Park.

Along with Michael Olise, who has just committed his future to Roy Hodgson’s side despite interest from Chelsea, Eze is a jewel in the Palace crown and has allegedly piqued the interest of Manchester City.

The 25-year-old was signed for £15.4 million from Queens Park Rangers in 2020, and he has since made 100 appearances for Palace, scoring 16 goals and setting up 13 more.

Eze scored a club-high 10 goals and set up four more in 38 Premier League appearances, starting 30 of them and coming off the bench in the remaining eight.

The versatile playmaker has been plagued by injury this season and has not appeared for the club since September, but he has managed one goal and two assists in nine appearances across all competitions.

Eze’s domestic exploits inevitably drew the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate, who gave him his debut against Malta in a Euro 2024 qualifier in June before also calling him up for the September period, where he came off the bench in a friendly win over Scotland.

Palace’s contract with the former Arsenal youth product expires in the summer of 2025, but the Eagles understandably want to tie him down to a longer-term deal as his stock rises.

Despite the presence of Manchester City, the Eagles have long been confident in keeping their effervescent playmaker, and a breakthrough in contract talks has now been made, according to TEAMtalk.

According to the report, Eze turned down several teams’ advances over the summer as he prepared to sign new terms at Selhurst Park, and his renewal will pay him more than three times his current salary.

However, Eze and Palace are said to have agreed to include a’substantial’ release clause in his new contract, and while the price is unknown, he will reportedly have an exit route from Selhurst Park.

When it comes to signing new Palace contracts, the 25-year-old will follow in the footsteps of Olise, Sam Johnstone, and Jordan Ayew, and the Eagles will reportedly turn their attention to Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen once Eze’s renewal is confirmed.

 

Guehi and Andersen have formed a formidable defensive partnership since first donning the Palace jersey, and both men are under contract with the Eagles until the summer of 2026.

Guehi, on the other hand, is expected to join a European-chasing club in the summer of 2024, with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United all linked with an approach.