As the transfer window enters its second month of being open and the return of the Premier League edges ever closer, teams are starting to become more active in the transfer market, and it's no different for Tottenham Hotspur.
The Lilywhites' only purchase thus far has been Archie Gray for a whopping £30m earlier this month, but over the last couple of weeks, the number of links to other exciting stars has only increased, and it looks like Daniel Levy and Co are going to be very busy over the next five weeks or so.
Based on recent reports, the North Londoners are preparing to advance their pursuit of a specific talent who could become Ange Postecoglou's own Martin Odegaard.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham have maintained their interest in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.
In fact, alongside Premier League rivals Liverpool, the report has revealed that the Lilywhites are now 'readying' a formal move for him once he returns from his post-Euro break.
If the North Londoners can position themselves ahead of the Reds over the coming weeks, they'll have to stump up around £60m to appease the Eagles.
It would represent a sizeable investment from Levy and Co, but given Eze's form last season and favourable comparisons to Odegaard, one worth making.
Eze's comparison to Odegaard and what he could bring to Spurs
So, before discussing what Eze could bring to Tottenham, it's worth examining this comparison to the captain of the enemy, Odegaard.
It stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in the 2022/23 Premier League season, created a list of the ten most comparable players for every player, and concluded that the Norwegian was the second most similar midfielder to the Englishman.
They came to this conclusion, and the best we can see it ourselves is by looking at their underlying numbers and the specific metrics in which they rank very closely, such as expected goals, assists, progressive carries, shots on target, passing accuracy, goal-creating actions, and clearances, all per 90.
However, while bringing in a player who shares some qualities with the Arsenal captain would be great, it is not the sole reason why Spurs should break the bank to land the "incredible" 26-year-old, as dubbed by teammate Joel Ward.
For example, one of the most impressive parts of the £100k-per-week gem's game is his level of output. In just 31 appearances for the Eagles last season, he scored 11 goals and provided six assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.82 games.
This impressive haul would've made him the second most productive player in Tottenham's squad last season, ahead of players like Richarlison, Brennan Johnson, and Dejan Kulusevski - imagine just how effective he could be in a full season under the progressive brilliance of Postecoglou.
Ultimately, while it's a lot of money, signing Eze would be the perfect way for Spurs to prove that they are going to be a serious proposition in the coming years.