No deal has been agreed yet to take Declan Rice from West Ham to Arsenal as talks continue over the payment structure of the transfer.
The overall fee - worth £105m - is not an issue with one source claiming it has been agreed in principle.
While there is still a willingness from all parties to get it done, there is still work to do before the clubs find a resolution.
Rice is now free to discuss personal terms and have his medical with Arsenal.
The transfer breaks down as an £100m initial fee plus £5m in performance related add-ons
Arsenal have already had two club-record bids rejected by the Irons - a £90m bid comprising a £75m fee and £15m in add-ons and an opening offer thought to be worth £80m plus add-ons.
The offer smashes Arsenal's transfer record - the £72m they paid Lille for Nicolas Pepe in 2019
