Arsenal’s efforts to secure Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze have encountered a significant setback as the club appears close to missing the deadline to activate the player’s £67.5 million release clause. This clause, which simplifies transfer negotiations by obliging Palace to accept a £60 million guaranteed fee plus add-ons, expires two weeks before the new season’s start, a date not precisely defined.

If Palace regard the Community Shield match against Liverpool on August 10 as the season’s commencement, Arsenal’s chance to meet this clause has already passed. Alternately, if it’s the first Premier League fixture, Arsenal’s deadline would fall on August 1 or possibly August 3 depending on the match considered the season opener.

Despite the clause’s existence, Arsenal reportedly value Eze below this figure and hoped to negotiate a reduced fee. However, Palace’s manager Oliver Glasner has expressed his intention to retain the player, highlighting the squad’s current depth and the limited activity during the transfer window so far. Glasner said, “As of now, I have 17 outfield players. I hope we don’t lose any more. If that happens and we get four new ones on deadline day like last year, another false start is possible.” He also added, “Even though all the players are still here, we haven’t made the most of the transfer window so far. I was promised that we would be more active and bring in the new players earlier this year.”

This combination of a tightening deadline and Palace’s firm stance places Arsenal’s pursuit of Eze in a precarious position.

The ongoing exchange between Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Arsenal’s young left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly continues to draw attention. The rivalry began when Lewis-Skelly made his Premier League debut in a fixture against City, where Haaland first made remarks that have since lingered.

By the time City returned to Arsenal’s home ground four months later, Lewis-Skelly had become a key figure in Arsenal’s lineup. He scored in Arsenal’s 5–1 victory and celebrated by imitating Haaland’s signature ‘zen’ goal celebration, sharing the moment on social media with the caption “Keep it humble.”

Haaland was later asked about this ‘Stay humble’ comment by Time magazine, to which he responded,

“I think it’s an important phrase, which a lot of people should use, including myself. It’s one of the most important things, as individuals, to do.”

Despite the apparent jibe, Haaland remained unbothered by Lewis-Skelly’s mimicry. “If he wanted to use that moment to mock me, that’s fair enough for him,” he said. “Whatever he wants to do, he can do.”

Haaland also acknowledged Arsenal’s dominant win, noting, “They won the game 5-1. So yeah, they got me.”

The rivalry has been maintained, with Lewis-Skelly hinting at it again in June upon signing a long-term contract with Arsenal. The young England international pledged to “keep staying humble,” adding another chapter to this unlikely yet compelling back-and-forth between the established striker and the promising defender.

Viktor Gyökeres’s transfer to Arsenal was marked by intense negotiations and a notable lack of respect from Sporting CP, according to the striker’s agent Jonathan Chalkias. Despite an agreement being reached in July, final details delayed the move. Chalkias criticized Sporting’s handling of the situation, attributing delays partly to the absence of former sporting director Hugo Viana, who left for Manchester City.

Chalkias expressed surprise that Gyökeres, who scored many goals and won three trophies, was not shown more respect. He revealed Sporting even offered the player to Real Madrid during the transfer talks, despite a clear commitment from Gyökeres to join Arsenal from the outset. Chalkias said, “They offered him to Real Madrid, he made headlines with Real Madrid and even [Manchester] United, but from day one there was a commitment to Arsenal.”

The agent also lamented that Gyökeres’s true wishes were overlooked and that Sporting showed more interest in the highest bidder rather than respecting the player’s preferred destination. Recounting the emotional strain on Gyökeres during the drawn-out process, Chalkias commented on the striker’s frustration and moodiness at times, noting with a touch of humor, “You’ve said good morning, and you get an ‘mmm’ back. We’ve joked about it quite a few times.”

Ultimately, sacrifices from all parties were necessary to conclude the deal, allowing Gyökeres to complete his move to Arsenal, fulfilling his dream and desire to play for the Premier League club.