Spurs now tell club they would give Richarlison plus cash to sign £60m forward
Tottenham Hotspur are considering a surprising approach to secure their primary transfer target, Crystal Palace’s creative midfielder Eberechi Eze.
According to reports from the Daily Mail, club officials are willing to include Brazilian striker Richarlison as part of the negotiation package to bring the England international to North London.
The proposed deal would see Richarlison move to Selhurst Park alongside a substantial cash payment, meeting Palace’s £60 million valuation of their star player.
This potential player-exchange arrangement represents a significant shift in strategy for Spurs, who have been engaged in talks with Palace for several days without reaching a financial agreement.
This development comes despite Richarlison’s impressive start to the new Premier League season.
The Brazilian forward scored two goals in Tottenham’s comfortable 3-0 victory against Burnley on Saturday, earning him the Premier League’s Player of the Matchweek One award.
His performance suggested he might finally be moving past the injury problems that limited his contributions last season.
The willingness to include him in negotiations for Eze indicates that manager Thomas Frank sees the Palace playmaker as a crucial addition to his squad, even at the cost of a proven goalscorer.
While Eze undoubtedly offers superior creative numbers over recent seasons, moving on a player who just demonstrated his value seems counterintuitive to many observers.
Tottenham’s interest in Eze stems from their need for additional creativity in midfield, particularly with their return to Champions League football creating a more demanding schedule.
The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most exciting attacking midfielders, capable of unlocking defenses with his dribbling skills and vision.
However, parting with Richarlison creates its own set of challenges. His two-goal performance against Burnley demonstrated exactly the kind of clinical finishing Tottenham will need throughout their campaign across multiple competitions.
Letting go of a player who appears hungry and motivated after overcoming injury difficulties could leave Spurs light in attacking options.
The timing of any potential deal adds another layer of complexity. Palace want Eze available for their Europa Conference League play-off match against Fredrikstad on Thursday, and he could still be involved in the second leg next week.
Meanwhile, Tottenham face a difficult trip to Etihad Stadium to play Manchester City on Saturday, where Richarlison’s physical presence and goal threat could prove valuable against the champions.
This proposed swap deal presents both opportunities and risks for Tottenham. While Eze would undoubtedly enhance their creative options, losing a proven Premier League goalscorer like Richarlison could weaken their attacking depth.
The coming days will reveal whether both clubs can agree on terms that satisfy their respective needs, or if Tottenham will need to pursue alternative approaches to secure their primary target.
For now, Richarlison remains a Tottenham player and could feature against Manchester City, while Eze prepares for European competition with Palace.
How this situation develops will likely depend on further negotiations between the clubs and whether Palace see value in adding the Brazilian to their squad as part of the arrangement.