Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Lille OSC star Nicolas Pépé, after agreeing a gargantuan €80m fee that will be paid in instalments.
It was reported on Thursday that a number of clubs had already reached an agreement to sign Pépé from Lille ahead of the new season, including Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool, as well as Italian outfit Napoli.
Pépé's transfer saga had looked set to continue for some time, but Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano then reported that Arsenal were actually leading the race for his signature, having upped their transfer and contract offer.