adminLONDON. – Arsenal have agreed a fee with Real Madrid for midfielder Sami Khedira, according to reports in Spain. Arsenal are now hopeful of agreeing personal terms with Khedira after Real Madrid accepted their £19,8 million offer for the German World Cup winner.
Arsenal are also on the brink of signing Colombian World Cup star goalkeeper David Ospina for £3,2 million.
Reports in France claim Nice and The Gunners have hammered out a deal and things could now move along quickly.
Starsport revealed that representatives from Arsenal had been discussing personal terms with the stopper after starring in his country’s World Cup run.
Arsenal are in need of a back-up stopper after letting Lukasz Fabianski join Swansea and Emiliano Viviano move to Palermo. The Gunners have also made signing a new defensive midfielder one of their key priorities this summer, and Khedira has emerged as the number one target.
Reports in Spain last week suggested a fee was close to be agreed, and now Marca says a £19,8million offer has been accepted and Arsenal are working hard to agree a compromise on his £150 000-a-week wage demands.
Arsene Wenger has so far refused to match the giant salary that the 27-year-old wants, which would make him the club’s joint highest earner alongside Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
However, it’s claimed that the two parties are hopeful an agreement can be reached, which would see Khedira move to the Emirates Stadium.
The player is said to favour a switch to north London over Chelsea, who are also in the race for Khedira and are willing to match his wage demands.
Khedira, who has been celebrating Germany’s World Cup win at the weekend, could soon be heading to the Emirates as Real are thought to have reached an agreement over the asking price of £20 million. The 27-year-old has one year left on his contract at the Bernabeu, but faces competition for a midfield berth following the anticipated arrival of international teammate Toni Kroos. He is yet to agree personal terms with the Gunners who have already raided Spanish giants Barcelona for the signing of exciting forward Alexis Sanchez. – Sky Sports-Metro.
Lukas Podolski voiced his desire for Khedira to join him at Arsenal during Germany’s World Cup homecoming and he would also link up with compatriots Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil in north London.
Khedira played a prominent role en-route to the final, but an injury in the warm-up prevented him from facing Argentina in Sunday’s 1-0 extra-time triumph. – Sky Sports-Metro.
Online Reporter