Arsenal will complete the £5 million capture of Basle midfielder Mohamed Elneny next week.
The Egyptian has completed a medical and is now awaiting international clearance before joining up with his new team-mates at the club's London Colney HQ.
Arsene Wenger dodged questions regarding Elneny after Saturday's win over Newcastle
Nevertheless, the Frenchman hopes to have the central midfielder available for next weekend's FA Cup third-round clash against Sunderland.
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He is popularly called the "destroyer"in Egypt |
Elneny, 23, is expected to be the Gunners' only January signing, though right back Mathieu Debuchy could leave the club after asking Wenger for a move.
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Elneny has made nearly 100 appearances for Basle while winning three consecutive Swiss Super League titles with FC Basel. His performances in Europe have been particularly impressive in that time,contributing in victories against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.
The 23-year-old would be eligible to feature in Arsenal's Champions League campaign this season and could be a valuable addition, possessing the qualities to play alongside Aaron Ramsey as a sitting midfielder, as well as next to Mathieu Flamini, or Francis Coquelin, as an engine ready to help out in both boxes.
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The Egyptian midfielder caught the eye of big clubs with his performances against the likes of Liverpool |
The cheap fee considering his potential makes him all the more attractive to Wenger, who is set to let Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and Flamini leave on free transfers in the summer.
Arsenal fans have been longing for a physical presence in midfield for some time and while this may not be a record-breaker, Elneny, who has been capped 40 times by his country and played at the 2012 London Olympics, fits the Wenger mould.
Click to watch skills, goals and assists of Mohamed Elneny below
