Higuain to seal £22m Arsenal switch as Real Madrid sanction sale

Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has sanctioned the sale of Gonzalo Higuain to Arsenal for a fee of £22million..

Higuain has already agreed personal terms with the Gunners and will become the north London club's record signing, subject to a successful medical.

The deal to take the Argentine striker to the Emirates, which will surpass the £15million Arsenal paid for Andrey Arshavin in 2009, represents a significant shift in the club’s transfer policy.

Higuain: May be the buy of the season

Arsene Wenger sees the signing of Higuain, who scored 16 La Liga goals for Real last season, as a real statement of intent as he bids to end the club's eight-year trophy drought.

Arsenal were waiting on Madrid to appoint a new manager and approve the deal but Bernabeu chief Pérez has now decided to give the go-ahead to Higuain's switch before confirming Jose Mourinho's successor.

The 25-year-old also attracted interest from Juventus but wanted to link up with Wenger and is expected to seal his move to the Emirates shortly.

MAN UTD STRIKE PERSONAL TERMS WITH BARCELONA'S THIAGO

Manchester United will push to complete the signing of Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara over the weekend.

Sources suggested a deal could've been announced yesterday, but minor details still needed to be ironed out.

The replacement for Paul Scholes?

Discussions between the two clubs will continue over the weekend.

Personal terms between United and Thiago have been struck, with the midfielder agreeing a deal worth £5 million-a-year.