By MATT BARLOW, FOOTBALL WRITER
Published: | Updated:
Tottenham will step up their search for another playmaker after accepting defeat in the long pursuit of Eberechi Eze.
Crystal Palace star Eze is bound for his boyhood club Arsenal, who swooped on Wednesday to hijack the £60million deal put in place by their North London rivals.
Spurs feel they could not have done any more to sign the 27-year-old England international and will reluctantly move on in their search of creativity to fill the void left by injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.
Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche and Como’s Nico Paz both on a shortlist, along with others.
Spurs are also determined to press on with their interest in Manchester City winger Savinho, although this has always been a target separate to Eze with a different tactical profile.
Como’s Nico Paz and Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche are on Tottenham’s playmaker shortlist
Tottenham have accepted defeat in their pursuit of Eberechi Eze, who will join rivals Arsenal
Spurs are determined to press on with their interest in Man City’s Savinho, but it seen as a difficult deal to complete
It is seen as a difficult deal to complete. The Brazilian is valued at £67m by City, who host Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Akliouche, 23, is a France Under-23 international who scored in Monaco’s 3-1 win against Le Havre last weekend.
Paz is a 20-year-old Argentina international born in Tenerife. His economic rights are part-owned by Real Madrid who sold him to Como last year.
