Manchester City Set for Selhurst Showdown with Eberechi Eze in the Spotlight
Manchester City travel to Selhurst Park this afternoon, fully aware of the threat posed by Eberechi Eze, a player Pep Guardiola has long admired.
Quiet Summer at the Etihad
Unlike past transfer windows, City kept their business modest this summer. Savinho arrived quietly from Troyes, following an impressive loan stint at Girona, and Ilkay Gundogan returned to the club on a free transfer from Barcelona.
Notable exits included Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid, Joao Cancelo to Al-Hilal, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis to Southampton, among others, bolstering City’s finances without splashy incomings.
The reigning champions refrained from a marquee signing, reflective of the increasing scrutiny around profit and sustainability rules.
City’s Eze Interest Remains Strong
One name that could have changed City’s low-profile summer was Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze. Fresh from leading England to the EURO 2024 final and a stellar season with Palace, Eze was tipped as a potential successor to Kevin De Bruyne.
De Bruyne, in the final year of his contract, has yet to agree to a new deal, heightening speculation about City’s long-term plans. Reports suggested City considered activating Eze’s £70 million release clause, viewing him as a key target after passing on him the previous summer in favor of Matheus Nunes from Wolves.
Ultimately, no bid materialized, and Palace’s willingness to sell Eze—especially after losing Michael Olise to Bayern Munich—remains uncertain. Notably, Eze’s release clause is now expired, but City’s admiration for the 26-year-old remains intact.
Eze Aims to Upset Guardiola’s Side
This weekend, Eze has the chance to showcase why he remains highly rated by Guardiola. Crystal Palace, despite their struggles near the relegation zone, have lost just one of their last seven matches across all competitions.
Meanwhile, City broke a seven-game winless streak with a dominant 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. However, the gap to league leaders Liverpool is now nine points, leaving no room for further slip-ups in their quest for a fifth consecutive Premier League title.
Selhurst Park Showdown
As Guardiola’s men prepare to face a resolute Palace, all eyes will be on Eze to see if he can remind City of what they missed. A standout performance from the dynamic midfielder could serve as a timely message to the club that once viewed him as their future.
