Arsenal's third and final signing of the January transfer window is set to be Jorginho.
This development has taken many Gunners supporters by surprise as all the talk leading up to deadline day centred around Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo whilst Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi and Vitoria Guimaraes' Ibrahima Bamba were seen as potential alternatives.
But having seen two bids rejected for Caicedo, the north London outfit have pivoted to Jorginho and football.london understands a £12million bid has been accepted by rivals Chelsea and all that remains is for the midfielder to pass a medical and complete all the formalities before being announced as the club's third signing this month after Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior.
READ MORE: The three Arsenal deals Mikel Arteta and Edu are set to complete before transfer deadline
In addition, it's understood that Arsenal will pay £10million upfront for the Italian international with a further £2million in add-ons which could hinge on conditions such as whether or not Mikel Arteta's side win the Premier League and the 31-year-old will join on an initial 18-month contract with the option to extend by a further year.
With this transfer on course to get over the line well before tonight's 11pm deadline, the question is can Arsenal still adhere to the Premier League rules especially after signing Trossard and Jakub Kiwior this month?
Well, after the January transfer window closes, the north London outfit will be permitted to name an updated 25-man squad for the Premier League, from which no more than 17 overseas players can be named, with the remaining eight places available to homegrown members of the squad.
To be considered home-grown, players need to have been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association or the Welsh FA for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).
Of course, as Jorginho is not considered home-grown, he will join Matt Turner, Cedric Soares, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kiwior, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus, Trossard and George Lewis to make up the 17 overseas Arsenal players named in the Premier League squad list.
This means the Gunners will have reached their limit - thanks in part to allowing Alexandre Lacazette, Bernd Leno, Alex Runarsson, Pablo Mari, Lucas Torreira and Nicolas Pepe to all depart one way or another in the summer.
However, they will have space for more non-homegrown signings before the transfer window closes as Lokonga is poised to join Crystal Palace on loan for the remainder of the season and football.london understands Cedric is still expected to join Fulham on a temporary deal despite interest from two other teams.
For all the latest news as it happens around Arsenal on deadline day follow our live blog here.
READ MORE:
Arsenal agree £12m Jorginho transfer as Brighton Moises Caicedo stance unchanged
Jorginho Arsenal shirt number 'leaked' as Edu agrees £12m Chelsea transfer on deadline day
Moises Caicedo to Arsenal transfer explained as Edu makes surprise Jorginho move
Arsenal cannot copy enviable but scattergun Brighton transfer strategy amid Moises Caicedo bid
Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: All the latest news, rumours and gossip from the Emirates Stadium
