Arsenal take a notoriously long time to confirm any transfer, with that announcement on the official website forthcoming only once every single aspect of the move is done and dusted.
The transfer of Mohamed Elneny to FC Basel has been a done deal, as far as most of the English newspapers are concerned, for quite a while now, but with nothing yet coming out of the Arsenal camp, most of the Gooners out there have had to feed on scraps of information.
Elneny has reportedly completed a medical and also agreed on personal terms with Arsenal, after the English Premier League side agreed a fee in the region of £5-7million. The only thing that has prevented Arsenal from completing, and with it announcing, the transfer is a work permit, with Egypt, Elneny's country, falling below the top 50 rankings in world football.
Arsenal, though, remain confident of gaining a work permit for the 23-year-old midfielder, but until that particular issue is fully sorted, those scraps are all the Gooners have. One of those trickled in on Tuesday, with FC Basel, as good as confirming Elneny is on his way out of the club.
In a players-returning-to-training story, Elneny's name was mentioned as being absent, with the Swiss club also revealing that was due to his expected transfer.
"Absent [from training] was Mohamed Elneny, who could complete a transfer in the coming days," FC Basel wrote on their official website.
That means Elneny is clearly leaving the club, and with no other side linked with the midfielder, Arsenal do seem like being his destination.
The move gained further credence, when Elneny's Basel teammate Albian Ajeti took to Facebook to wish the Egyptian well over his Arsenal move. "I'm happy for you Mohamed Elneny, success in Arsenal," Ajeti wrote.
Arsene Wenger will hope to officially complete the transfer of the Egypt international as soon as possible, because Arsenal need as much help as they can get in the middle of the park at the moment.
Mathieu Flamini's run of games seems to be getting to him, while Calum Chambers is still pretty raw in that position, even if the youngster is expected to start the FA Cup third round match against Sunderland on Saturday as the holding midfielder.
While Elneny cannot be expected to come right in and fit in seamlessly in Arsenal's midfield, just the presence of another option will lift the team as they look to clinch that elusive English Premier League title.
