Aston Villa have agreed a club-record deal worth an initial £33m for Norwich City midfielder Emiliano Buendia.
Villa have moved swiftly to head off potential interest from Arsenal.
The Argentine, 24, was the Canaries’ player of the season as they cruised to the Championship title last term and a return to the Premier League.
The deal, which could rise to £38m with add-ons, is close to completion with personal terms agreed and a medical already conducted in Argentina.
The total package – which also includes a sell-on clause of 10% – eclipses the signing of Ollie Watkins from Brentford last summer, which was an initial £28m rising to £32m with add-ons.
Buendia has won promotion twice in his three years with Norwich, either side of making 36 Premier League appearances as the Canaries were relegated in 2019-20.
Therr was a sell-on clause in the deal which saw Norwich sign him from Getafe for £1.5m in 2018 but the Carrow Road club bought this out.
