Arsenal have agreed to a £10 million deal to sign Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard, with an additional £5 million in performance-related add-ons potentially bringing the total package to £15 million.
The move comes just a week before Thomas Partey’s contract at the Emirates is set to expire. While the 32-year-old Ghanaian has been in talks over a possible extension, no agreement has been reached.
Sources at BBC Sport reveal that Sevilla midfielder Lucien Agoumé, 23, was also considered as a potential replacement, but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta preferred a Premier League-proven player, ultimately identifying Norgaard as his top choice.
Club-to-club negotiations with Brentford accelerated over the past 24 hours, and a full agreement is now in place. The 31-year-old Denmark international, who joined Brentford from Fiorentina in 2019, will undergo a medical before the transfer is finalised.
Though Norgaard was not originally among Arsenal’s long-term targets, his experience and leadership qualities made him a standout option as the Gunners looked to bolster midfield depth in anticipation of Partey’s exit.
Norgaard was a key figure at Brentford and captained the side under Thomas Frank, who recently left the club to take over as Tottenham Hotspur manager.
.
