Oliver Glasner explains why Eberechi Eze is outside Crystal Palace’s Conference League squad as he approaches Arsenal Move
The England star would start his farewell match for Crystal Palace in the conference league before a move of £ 60 million to Arsenal, but it will not happen now with Eze which is not part of the match day group.
3Palace did not arrive at Selhurst Park to meet the Norwegian side Fredrikstad with the rest of his teammates, which means that his final game for Eagles which is very likely to be 0-0 with Chelsea last weekend.
When asked why Eze was absent, Glasner said: Of course, I expected him to start today but he called me this morning and said he was not feeling good to play in the evening.
“Of course, I have to accept it and everything else you have to ask the chairman.”
Glasner added: “I have to accept it. If a player says he is not ready to play, I of course had to call the player who starts instead, Justin Devenny.
“(Make sure he is ready because this is my responsibility to prepare the players who play for us in the best way.
“So it was pretty busy. We don’t like to change the start XI on match day, especially in this situation.
“This is the first time in European football for Crystal Palace but we have to deal with it and that is what we do in the best way.”
Gunners made a late Swoop for the 27-year-old after the rivals Tottenham had closed to secure a deal to sign him.
Talksport confirmed on Wednesday evening that Gunners and Palace have reached an agreement in principle for £ 60 million, plus supplement, for the player, which is a club record sale for Eagles.
Boyhood Gooner Eze, who also played in the club’s academy, went back on its agreement with Spurs to return to Emirates Stadium.
Will Eze Bundas for Arsenal in the Champions League?
Oliver Glasner had already insisted that Eze’s emotional reaction to the fans after Saturday’s 0-0-O-fired at Chelsea was not a goodbye, but it seems that it was.
Given Eze will now not play in Europe, there is no chance that he is cup -bound.
But even though he had played, the UEFA regulations have clearly described the provisions on players representing several clubs during a single season.
Eze gig would not have affected his ability to represent Arsenal in the Champions League anyway.
This is because qualification or play-off rounds do not prevent players from turning out for another team in the league phase in one of UEFA’s three best competitions.
Since Crystal Palace’s Clash with Fredrik stad is a play-off, and Arsenal is already safe in the Liga sfasen in the Champions League, Eze would have been played in both.
If Eze were to play in the Conference League, Gunners would have had to wait until the knockout rounds to register him.