Manchester United are among several clubs interested in signing Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace next year. The Eagles are seemingly resigned to losing their prized asset in 2025 but will demand the payment of his £68 million release clause.
The Red Devils are unlikely to be fazed by the asking price for Eze but according to Football Transfers, a swoop for him remains ‘out of reach’ for the club unless they sell one or two of their ‘high-profile’ players.
Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford are among those who will need to be shown the door at Old Trafford to accommodate Eze, which is far from surprising considering the Englishman can play as an attacking midfielder and on both flanks.
The source adds that Palace are ‘standing firm’ on wanting Eze’s release clause paid and will not be prepared to negotiate a lower fee, while contrary to earlier reports, they are not interested in Antony and therefore, chances of a swap deal have been ruled out.
United’s circumstances may not entice Eze
Neither Bruno Fernandes nor Marcus Rashford have lived up to the billing so far this season, much like the rest of their teammates. However, what is practically set in stone is that the Portuguese international will not be sold any time soon.
The story with Rashford could be different though as the 26-year-old has struggled to find his feet for several months. He has hit a good run of form for a few matches but remained ineffective over large parts of the season.
In fairness, were it not for a lack of competition in his role, Rashford would have mainly been of a secondary status in the team. At the same time, it remains to be seen if Man United are prepared to sell him and also if there is a market for his services.
If Manchester United can hypothetically get rid of Rashford, the door at Old Trafford could open for Eze to enter but even with their academy graduate being sold, it is hard to picture the Red Devils being the Palace star’s preferred destination.
Eze is likely to prefer joining a club contending for the Premier League and playing in the Champions League, possibly handing the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool a significant boost over Manchester United.
