CRYSTAL PALACE welcome Norwegian outfit Fredrikstad to Selhurst Park for the first leg of their Conference League playoff – and Arsenal fans will be tuning in for a specific reason.
Eberechi Eze was expected to join Tottenham until Kai Havertz’s knee injury forced the Gunners to dip into the market for another attacker.
Arsenal sensationally hijacked Spurs’ pursuit of the Eagles talisman by agreeing a £68million deal.
But Palace have requested that Eze plays in their Conference League playoff first leg before the move is officially finalised.
However, SunSport can exclusively reveal that the midfield maestro is not expected to feature.
How to watch Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad for FREE and is there a live stream?
- Crystal Palace vs Fredrikstad will be broadcast for FREE on Channel 5 in the UK.
- It is scheduled to take place TONIGHT and the Conference League tie kicks off at 8pm BST.
- Fans can also stream the entire action via any compatible tablet or mobile device on My5.
Read more on Eberechi Eze
What is happening with Eze?
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy had agreed a deal with Palace and personal terms with the player.
But the Eagles refused to finalise it before their Conference League tie with Norwegian outfit Fredrikstad.
And Arsenal now look to have won the race for the boyhood Gunners fan who has always favoured a switch to the Emirates.
Playmaker Eze has been on Arsenal’s radar for months but Havertz’s injury fast-tracked their move.
It comes as another major blow to Levy, who already failed in his bid to sign Morgan Gibbs-White this summer when he penned a new Nottingham Forest deal.
Why did Crystal Palace get demoted to the Conference League?
Crystal Palace have been banned from competing in the Europa League for being in the same multi-club ownership group as French giants Lyon after the March 1 Uefa disengagement deadline.
The ban was expected when Lyon won their appeal against relegation to Ligue 2 after they were demoted for financial reasons.
Following the successful appeal, Les Gones are now allowed to feature in the Europa League after they qualified by finishing sixth in the French top flight last term.
Eagle Football Holdings – owned by John Textor – holds stakes in both Palace and Lyon, and Uefa rules state that clubs owned to a certain threshold of influence by the same person or entity cannot compete in the same European competition.
The American businessman recently agreed to sell his shares in the London club to billionaire Woody Johnson, but the sale has not been completed and is deemed too late.
Uefa chiefs have ruled that Palace must play in the Conference League and make a European bow in a play-off next month – with Nottingham Forest, who finished 7th in the Prem, set to be promoted in their place.
It will cost Palace an immediate £3.9m in Uefa appearance money – boosting Forest by the same amount.
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