Nicolas Pepe is closing in on a move to Arsenal.
The Gunners have been busy in recent days. Unai Emery has added William Saliba and Dani Ceballos this week, and now they are closing on a the marquee signing of Pepe.
There are still a few hurdles to clear before the player is snapped holding an Arsenal shirt, but there is every reason to believe that the Gunners can get the deal over the line ahead of the new campaign.
“For Pepe, we have received four acceptable offers from four big clubs,” Lille president Gerard Lopez told Tuttosport on Friday.
“It is up to the player now to decide where to go, with the contract offers made by the four clubs."
Here’s what we know so far…
Who wants to sign him?
The Ivorian has been attracting interest from clubs around Europe, with Napoli in pole position until recently.
Arsenal are among a host of Premier League clubs reportedly interested in the winger, with Manchester United and Liverpool also said to be in the hunt.
L'Equipe say Inter Milan and Napoli are the Italian sides monitoring Pepe, and the latter struck a deal with the club before failing to negotiate with the player. Arsenal are set to take advantage of that stalemate.
Is a deal close?
Arsenal are in advanced talks with Lille over a deal for Pepe and are now poised to win the race for the winger.
It means their prusuit of a wide forward is nearing its conclusion, with the clubs close to agreeing a deal. Arsenal will then attempt to negotiate terms with the player, but it is thought there is optimism at the club that this process will be straightforward.
How much will he cost?
The deal to bring Pepe to Arsenal is expected to be a club-record deal of around £72m and will be paid in instalments.
How so? I hear you ask, given the club's budget is just £40million this summer. Well Arsenal have been savvy this summer. The deal to bring William Saliba to the club includes an agreement to send him back on loan for a season, meaning the initial fee is very small. The loan deal for Ceballos is also relatively small, while the Gunners are still haggling with Celtic over Kieran Tierney.
But the key to their purchase of Pepe will be the structured payments, meaning the £72m total fee will be paid across the five-year contract he is set to sign. It again means Arsenal will pay a much smaller initial fee.
Will it affect the Zaha deal?
In a word, yes. If Arsenal do indeed sign Pep from Lille it will scupper Wilfried Zaha's hopes of moving across London to Emirates Stadium this summer.
The Palace star wants out and favours a move to Arsenal but their initial bid of £40m was knocked back and Palace are insistent that their £80million valuation is met. The Gunners are not able to meet that asking price with their modest kitty.
Everton, Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund have also been linked Zaha.
Is he good enough?
The 24-year-old was in fine form last season, scoring 22 goals and laying on 11 assists in Ligue 1.
Emery has made no secret of his need for a winger since arriving in north London and Pepe is one who will likely excite Gunners fans.
A technical player with pace, the Ivory Coast international's eye for goal means he is always a threat from the right side. His favoured left foot means he will do damage cutting in from the right. He lacks the unique talent Zaha possesses with the ball at his feet, but he is certainly comfortable in possession and is more comfortable in front of goal than the Palace man.
