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Arsenal Moving Ahead of Chelsea To Land £24m Khedira This Week

Arsenal have moved ahead of Chelsea in the race for Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira and hope to seal a £23.8million deal this week.

Sources in Spain suggest the Germany international, who missed last night’s World Cup Final after injuring his calf in the warm-up, has already agreed a four-year contract worth £152,000 a week.

Khedira’s destination should become clearer after he returns to Berlin with the rest of the Germany squad and the World Cup trophy will be presented in front of more than 500,000 fans. He is due to go on a three-week break after the celebrations but will be keen to resolve his future first.

Earlier this month that Arsenal had made a £23.8m bid for Khedira, 27, who wants to leave Real Madrid.

The Spanish giants are signing Khedira’s Germany team-mate Toni Kroos for £20m and Khedira has become unsettled at the club. He has one year left on his contract and does not want to extend it, meaning Madrid are being forced to cash in now.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been interested in Khedira ever since he left the Spaniards to return to  Stamford Bridge last summer.

Mourinho brought Khedira to the Spanish capital in 2010 from Stuttgart and he is looking to add a defensive midfielder to his squad.

Paul Pogba has been Mourinho’s first choice all summer but Juventus are more prepared to sell Arturo Vidal than the France star.

Arsenal were also considering a bid for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender but have moved quickly to step up negotiations with Khedira.

Khedira’s friendship with Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, his international team-mate, is another factor in the club’s favour. He would become the fifth German at Emirates alongside Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski and Serge Gnabry.