Tottenham finally strike £60m Eberechi Eze transfer agreement with Crystal Palace as Thomas Frank closes in on replacement for injured James Maddison

Losing Maddison for the campaign left the club reeling, and Frank demanded urgent action in the market. According to talkSPORT, Levy has delivered, as a transfer fee has now been thrashed out between the two clubs for Eze. However, the transfer officially going through still depends on Palace securing a replacement, and they face a race against time with the new Premier League season already underway and the summer window slamming shut on September 1. 

Eze has been at Selhurst Park for five years, and his £68m ($92m) release clause expired on Friday. He featured in Palace’s goalless draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their Premier League opener, but his body language suggested that could be his final game for the club. As the final whistle blew, Eze applauded the away fans for a prolonged spell, appearing to signal a farewell.

Palace have already set their sights on Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss as Eze's replacement. The Moroccan playmaker’s £22m ($30m) release clause expired, leaving the Foxes in a powerful negotiating position. Leicester now want closer to £30m ($40.5m), a figure significantly higher than the release clause. Another name being floated is Christos Tzolis of Club Brugge, familiar to Premier League fans from his time with Norwich.

Eze continues to train with the Palace squad, and Oliver Glasner could still use him during the first leg of their Conference League play-off round tie against Fredrikstad on Thursday.