Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Arsenal AGREE £20m fee with Real Madrid for Sami Khedira
ARSENAL look to have stole a march on Chelsea in the race to land World Cup winner Sami Khedira.
According to reports in Spain, Arsenal have agreed a fee of around £19.8million with Real Madrid for the midfielder.
Madrid-based sports paper Marca claim an agreement is in place for the Gunners to sign Khedira, should they match his wage demands.
Marca believe Khedira wants a salary of about £107,000-a-week AFTER tax.
That would mean Arsene Wenger making the 27-year-old the highest-paid player at the Emirates, ahead of Mesut Ozil and £30m signing Alexis Sanchez.
But the north London club are determined to find a compromise with Khedira and will look to fend off competition from Chelsea to secure his services.
Express Sport understands Khedira could replace Jack Wilshere in the Arsenal team, with the England star in hot water after being caught smoking on a stag do in Las Vegas.