Chelsea have launched a new £35million bid to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
They expect him to push to leave Arsenal and join them before the summer transfer window closes at 11pm next Thursday.
The Blues have had a £30m bid for the England midfielder turned down but are ready to go back in to try to pull off a major coup at the expense of one of their main rivals.
It comes with Oxlade-Chamberlain due for a meeting with the Gunners to thrash out his future, as he only has one year left on his current contract.
Arsenal have already offered him two new deals and still want to convince him to stay, even though he has turned down their latest offer worth £125,000-a-week.
But the 24-year-old has already held face-to-face talks with manager Arsene Wenger and told him he will not be re-signing, wants to leave and could go next year on a free transfer if necessary.
Arsenal will be acutely aware of the danger of losing Oxlade-Chamberlain for nothing in 12 months' time when they could cash in now but are desperate not to be seen to be selling to a direct rival.
They are in a similar position with Alexis Sanchez, who is wanted by Manchester City and Pep Guardiola is determined to get him before the window shuts. It could take a bid of £70m to tempt Arsenal into parting with him now.
Mesut Ozil is also out of contract next summer and Arsenal will be reluctant to gamble on all three players' futures, despite Wenger making it clear he does not want to sell.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is desperate to strengthen his squad and wants Oxlade-Chamberlain to kick off a late signing spree.
They are also keen on Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk and have made a bid for Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater, while Mirror Sport reported they are considering a move for his Foxes and England colleague Jamie Vardy with striker Diego Costa's Blues career apparently over.
Chelsea are growing increasingly confident of reaching a compromise over Drinkwater, after having a £15m bid turned down and being told he will cost £40m.
