Tottenham rocked by second hammer blow after Arsenal steal Eberechi Eze

Tottenham's transfer plans have been thrown into disarray after missing out on another major target this summer. The north Londoners may now set their sights on Monaco's midfield maestro Maghnes Akliouche following Eberechi Eze's decision to join arch-rivals Arsenal.

The situation at Spurs is further complicated by concerns that Dejan Kulusevski could be sidelined until the end of the year due to a knee injury. With no confirmed return date, the need for immediate reinforcements has become even more pressing after this latest hammer blow. It comes in addition to James Maddison's long-term knee ligament injury, which initially prompted Tottenham's interest in signing Eze.

However, they are set to miss out on the Crystal Palace man, adding to the disappointment of Morgan Gibbs-White choosing to remain at Nottingham Forest and Bryan Mbeumo opting for Manchester United over Spurs.

Despite last season's triumph in the Europa League and securing a Champions League spot, Spurs have struggled to build momentum.

Now, they find themselves scrambling for signings with £40million-rated Akliouche among their targets. Bayer Leverkusen are also keen on the player, while Monaco are eager to retain him for at least another season.

Spurs have shown interest in Como playmaker Nico Paz, who could be an alternative if they fail to lure Akliouche.

They are also eyeing England starlet Morgan Rogers, although there are doubts over whether a deal can be struck given the expected resistance from Aston Villa.

Manchester City are reluctant to part ways with Brazilian winger Savinho, while Tottenham have also shown interest in Southampton winger Tyler Dibling.

RB Leipzig attacker Xavi Simons is reportedly keen on a move to Chelsea, leaving Spurs in a difficult position with just ten days left of the transfer window.

There is a sense within Tottenham that Arsenal were always lurking and despite agreeing personal terms with Crystal Palace, they had to wait until after their Conference League match on Thursday night.

This delay provided Arsenal with an opportunity to swoop for a player who Mikel Arteta has been pursuing all summer. The interest was established even before Kai Havertz's injury, which only increased the urgency.

Arsenal are hopeful that Havertz's injury isn't too severe, but he faces the prospect of being sidelined for some time. The imminent arrival of Eze will soften this blow and has been warmly received by the fans.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are left to pick up the pieces and search elsewhere. They believe they did everything possible to secure a deal, but fear that even if they had met the release clause earlier, Arsenal may have still outbid them.

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