It's not a secret that Arsenal are desperate to sign Dusan Vlahovic this month.
The Gunners have made it clear the Fiorentina hitman is their number one target in the current window as they look to add the highly-rated no.9 to their ranks.
Arsenal's urgency to get the deal down in January is understandable, it becomes a much harder task in the summer when more teams are set to come into the equation.
It would also ease their current dilemma up front with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang set to leave the club in the near future, along with Alexandre Lacazette.
The north Londoners are in a great position sitting inside the top four and reckon a player of Vlahovic's quality could solidify their quest for Champions League qualification. Now is the time to act.
It seems to be going in the right direction but nothing has been confirmed and there are still a few variables to iron out.
Here's what needs to be done before an agreement can be reached.
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Torreira or no Torreira?
A huge positive for Arsenal is that money doesn't seem to be an issue.
It's been reported that the Gunners' opening bid meets Fiorentina's £60m valuation.
Arsenal tabled £50million up front, as well as Lucas Torreira, who is currently on loan in Florence.
It remains to be seen if the Serie A club are willing to entertain a cash-plus-player deal or if they would like cash only.
It makes sense for Arsenal to include Torreira as a makeweight given that he is surplus to requirements at the Emirates, but it's not a given the Italians will accept that.
If they knock that back, Arteta's men will have to find the funds from somewhere else, but it shouldn't be an issue since they are willing to break the bank to get a deal for Vlahovic across the finish line.
The Emirates club have also put aside £8m for Vlahovic's agent something that has put other clubs off.
Free up wages
On top of that, Arsenal are willing to meet Vlahovic's wage demands.
The 21-year-old is looking for a £300,000-per-week salary wherever he ends up next, but that shouldn't be an issue either.
They will want to free up some wages to balance the books, however.
Aubameyang is the prime candidate given his extortionate wage, but that could prove difficult so they will have to look down other avenues.
Sead Kolasinac agreed to mutually terminate his contract on Tuesday, the fifth player to do so in the past year, while Pablo Mari is set for a loan move to Udinese.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles joined Roma on loan earlier in the window as well.
Arsenal are slowly but surely reducing the wage bill at the club, indicating they are freeing up space for someone like Vlahovic.
There is a good chance several other fringe players could join the aforementioned trio in leaving the Emirates this month to accommodate his arrival.
Aubameyang solution
Selling Aubameyang would go be a huge step in paving the way for Vlahovic, but it's not that simple.
The striker's future at the club appears to be over after he was stripped of the captaincy last month and has not appeared in Arteta's side since.
Aubameyang's salary is almost impossible to budge, especially on a permanent basis in January, which has led Arsenal to explore loan options for the striker.
A club will unlikely be able to pay 100% of his wage, but even a chunk would help free up some funds for Vlahovic.
That prospect hit a stumbling block however when Aubameyang was released from Gabon's Africa Cup of Nations squad due to the striker's ongoing health issues.
The 32-year-old missed his nation's with Ghana on Friday after scans revealed "heart lesions" following a bout of Covid.
Aubameyang tested positive on arrival in Cameroon on 6 January and will undergo further medical checks upon his return to Arsenal.
Aubmeyang's status is now unclear and it remains to be seen when will make a full recovery, which hurts Arsenal's chances of finding him a new club in January.
Strengthen credentials
The one thing Arsenal cannot guarantee Vlahovic is Champions League football, something which is seemingly a priority for the player.
Vlahovic wants to be playing for a team that is regularly among Europe's elite.
Arsenal are currently inside the top four which helps their case, but it's not a given they will finish there especially when you factor in their eighth-place finish last term.
This is one of the reasons why Vlahovic could wait until the summer to weigh up his options as he'll know for sure.
But it's not the be-all and end-all for the player as if he is convinced Arsenal are heading in that direction, he could look past the fact they cannot guarantee Champions League football just yet.
Arsenal could strengthen their case this week by beating Liverpool to reach the Carabao Cup Final, proving they have the credentials to compete for silverware.
If he stays put in Florence until the summer and Arsenal go on and win the competition, as well as sealing a top-four finish, they'll have done all they can to prove to him they're going places.
