Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth says Jean-Michael Seri has an agreement to let him leave Nice for £35m this summer, Arsenal are interested, and the player himself wants to join the Premier League.

Speaking on the Transfer Talk podcast, Sheth explained the situation as he understands it.

“I’m being led to believe that there’s an agreement with his club that he will be allowed to leave for £35m,” he said. “Intriguingly, last summer, Arsenal’s current head of football operations, Raul Sanllehi, was the director of football at the Nou Camp and they wanted Jean-Michael Seri.

“Fast forward to January, Emery tried to sign him for Paris Saint-Germain. There is an interest in Seri (now) but there is competition as well. I’m told that Napoli and Borussia Dortmund are interested.

“But quite importantly the player’s preference is to come to the Premier League. I think that’s where he wants to shine. Arsenal are interested. So potentially, I think if Emery had his way, he could be his first signing.”

The first part of this information, that Seri can leave for £35m, fits with reports we’ve heard previously. The player apparently has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave Nice for €40m, provided he does so before July 15th.

That way the French club guard against losing him for cheap late on in the window. They also encourage anyone interested to make an early move.

Conveniently, Unai Emery’s first fixture in charge of the club is on July 14th, so he’ll probably want to get a deal sorted before then anyway.

Sky Sports recently reported that Arsenal have already held talks with the player’s representative about a transfer.

Hopefully Sheth is right, and both Arsenal and the player are on the same wavelength when it comes to a summer transfer. Napoli and Borussia Dortmund would both be able to offer Champions League football, but with any luck the chance to play in the Premier League matches that appeal. We’ll have to wait and see.