Arsenal are close to completing the £18m January signing of Sevilla midfielder Ever Banega according to journalist Roberto Martinez.
The Argentina midfielder is keen on joining his former manager Unai Emery at the Emirates having played under the Spaniard at Valencia and Sevilla.
Banega could be signed as a replacement for the outgoing Aaron Ramsey who will leave the Gunners in the summer after contract talks broke down in September.
Reporting on Twitter, Martinez revealed the current situation surrounding the Argentine playmaker, outlining that: "Ever Banega is close to leaving Sevilla to move to Arsenal at the express request of Unai Emery, the coach who always drew the best from him as a player.
"The Winter Market in Europe foresees impressive movements."
Ever Banega, cerca de dejar el Sevilla para pasar al Arsenal por petición expresa de Unai Emery, el entrenador que siempre extrajo lo mejor de él como jugador. El Mercado de Invierno en Europa prevé movimientos impactantes.
— Roberto Martínez (@robertopuntocom) December 25, 2018
Banega's contract with Los Rojiblancos includes a release clause thought to be in the region of £18m - a figure which has attracted the attention of Gunners boss Emery.
The 30-year-old has enjoyed an impressive campaign for Sevilla this season, scoring eight goals and providing five assists in all competitions.
Since re-joining the club in 2017, following a tough spell at Italian giants Internazionale, Banega has rediscovered his form and played a key role in helping his side reach the Copa del Rey final last season.
By bringing the Argentine to the Premier League in January, Emery could be adding a player to his squad who has previous experience of playing in big games for both club and country.
Banega has won the Europa League twice with Sevilla and was also part of the Argentina team that finished runners-up to Chile in the 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals.
Source : 90min