Playmaker closes on return 14 years after rejection

Eze was released by boyhood club and others as a teenager before making breakthrough at QPR and Crystal Palace

- Ed Aarons

They say good things come to those who wait. But for Eberechi Eze, it has taken 14 years for his dream to come true.

The England forward made a dramatic entrance during Crystal Palace's open training session on Wednesday when he was last to emerge from the changing room with frenzied anticipation that his expected move to Tottenham was close to being agreed.

Even if he had been aware of Arsenal's intention to step up their longstanding interest in him, Eze was certainly giving nothing away when he signed autographs and spoke to supporters on his way out of Palace's training ground in Beckenham.

It was later on Wednesday afternoon that the Palace chair, Steve Parish, received a call from Arsenal's executive vice-chair, Tim Lewis, indicating they were finally ready to act. The full severity of the knee injury suffered by Kai Havertz during his substitute appearance against Manchester United on Sunday is unknown, although the forward is expected to be sidelined for the immediate future. With Arsenal facing four of last season's top seven in successive Premier League matches after they entertain Leeds tomorrow, Mikel Arteta felt he was short of numbers in attack.