First Arsenal Signing Mohamed Elneny has passed a medical and will complete £5m move

                         

Mohamed Elneny will complete his £5million move from Basle to Arsenal next week after passing a medical

Arsenal will complete the £5million capture of Basle midfielder Mohamed Elneny next week.

The Egyptian has completed a medical and is now awaiting international clearance ahead of joining up with his new team-mates at the club's London Colney HQ.

Arsene Wenger dodged questions regarding Elneny after Saturday's win over Newcastle.

                         

Elneny is now awaiting international clearance ahead of joining up with his new team-mates in training

Nevertheless, the Frenchman hopes to have the central midfielder available for next weekend's FA Cup third-round clash against Sunderland.

Elneny, 23, is expected to be the Gunners' only January signing, though right back Mathieu Debuchy could leave the club after asking Wenger for a move.

Midfielder Elneny has made nearly 100 appearances for Basle while winning three consecutive Swiss Super League titles. His performances in Europe have been particularly impressive in that time, starring in victories against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.

The 23-year-old would be eligible to feature in Arsenal's Champions League campaign this season and could be a valuable addition, possessing the qualities to play alongside Aaron Ramsey as a sitting midfielder, as well as next to a Mathieu Flamini, or Francis Coquelin, as an engine ready to help out in both boxes.

The cheap fee considering his potential makes him all the more attractive to Wenger, who is set to let Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and Flamini leave on free transfers in the summer.

Arsenal fans have been longing for a physical presence in midfield for some time and while this may not be a record-breaker, Elneny, who has been capped 40 times by his country and played at the 2012 London Olympics, fits the Wenger mould.