After a lot of talk, Arsenal are closing in on a deal to sign Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka.
On Tuesday evening, Rheinische Post, who are close to the German club, reported that an agreement was imminent with the Gunners willing to pay the €43m plus bonuses that Gladbach were looking for.
Those reports were contradicted by SportBild but, on Wednesday, a number of reliable journalists have joined in with the talk.
Raphael Honigstein says a deal worth a total of €50m (£39.5m) is all but complete while Telegraph journalist Jonathan Wilson claims a £30m deal is close to an agreement. German publication kicker are also reporting that Arsenal have reached Gladbach’s demands.
It looks like Bayern Munich’s move to sign Renato Sanches on Tuesday has helped Arsenal, freeing up Bayern midfielder Sebastian Rode to edge close to a transfer which could see him become Xhaka’s replacement.
Swiss midfielder Xhaka has a release clause which could be activated next summer for around €25-30m but Arsenal would rather get the player in this summer with less competition. The Gunners are now guaranteed to finish in the top four and it is clear Xhaka wanted definite Champions League football before making a move.
With Euro 2016 coming up, everyone involved will be eager to get a deal sealed sooner rather than later.