Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze is close to a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur, having agreed personal terms with Spurs earlier this week. Despite ongoing negotiations between the two clubs, the deal has not been finalized. Eze expressed his desire to leave Crystal Palace, but head coach Oliver Glasner included him in the starting lineup for Palace's opening Premier League match against Chelsea on August 17, 2025. Eze started the game and played until the final minutes, receiving a standing ovation from the away fans upon his substitution, fueling speculation that this could be his last appearance for the club. The match ended in a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge, with Eze having a free-kick goal disallowed due to a marginal offside involving teammate Marc Guehi, who also started the game and is reportedly the subject of Liverpool interest. In preparation for a potential Eze departure, Crystal Palace have approached Club Brugge for attacker Christos Tzolis as a possible replacement. Tottenham remains confident about completing the transfer, although further work is needed to finalize the fee, which is expected to be below Eze's release clause. The result marked a disappointing start for Chelsea, who were held to a draw after recently winning the Club World Cup.