Robin van Persie's potential transfer to Manchester United from Arsenal edged closer on Tuesday after it was revealed the two clubs had re-opened negotiations.
According to a series of reports in Wednesday morning's newspapers, United could finalise a deal to bring the Dutchman to Old Trafford before their opening match of the new Premier League season against Everton next Monday.
The deal could include several add-ons since United are reportedly reluctant to spend their most extravagant fee up front since the £30.75m capture of Dimitar Berbatov.
Since Berbatov was signed in 2008, United have embarked on a transfer policy of buying players under the age of 26. Anders Lindegaard, at 26, has been their eldest signing since then, excluding the 2009 free transfer of perennial crock Michael Owen, then aged 29.
Arsenal face Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, and are now seemingly resigned to the sensibility of selling the PFA Player of the Year for a substantial fee rather than allowing him to leave on a free next summer.
Van Persie was booed by the pocket of Arsenal supporters when he played the final 20 minutes of their 4-0 friendly defeat of Cologne at the weekend. Lukas Podolski, who scored twice, was the subject of the "He scores when he wants..." chant Gunners fans adopted for Van Persie last season.
Last year's top scorer is currently on international duty with Holland ahead of their Wednesday night friendly with Belgium, but should he complete his move to United he will become the first player to move from the red half of north London to M16 since Viv Anderson, Sir Alex Ferguson's first signing for the Red Devils way back in 1987.
The last player to be transferred between the two clubs was Mikael Silvestre in 2008, who stayed with Arsène Wenger's side for two seasons .
Van Persie could become United's fourth summer signing after Chilean teenager Ángelo Henríquez was pictured leaving Bridgewater Hospital on Tuesday after a three-hour medical. Ferguson has already brought Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell to Old Trafford this summer.
Henríquez, 18, scored 11 goals for Universidad de Chile this year as they won the Primera División and is likely to cost £4m.