€25m Deal Nearly Done: German To Have Medical At Arsenal Tomorrow

Arsenal are set to announce their second senior signing of the summer tomorrow, according to reports emerging from Germany today.

The report comes from Kicker, who have been pretty accurate with Arsenal news to date. The report says:

‘As expected, Bernd Leno leaves Bayer Leverkusen and joins Arsenal. Atletico Madrid and SSC Napoli are said to have been interested in the German national keeper, but Leno himself had always preferred a move to London. According to our information, he will complete a medical check on Tuesday at Arsenal and then sign a five-year contract.’

26-year-old Leno is expected to arrive on a long-term contract and provide competition for Petr Cech, who is now 36 and possibly in his last season at the club. Should Leno’s move be completed, David Ospina is expected to leave, with several Turkish and Mexican teams interested in his services.

Leno is a keeper who showed a lot of promise as a youngster, but one who has struggled to iron out the mistakes in his game since maturing. Emery and co. must feel there is still potential to be unearthed in Leno, who is a somewhat lively goalkeeper – he could be compared to Woijech Szczesny.

The report also says that Napoli made a late offer of around £16million, but Arsenal’s offer trumps that at around £22million and the Gunners will win this race.

A medical for Leno should be a formality, he did not make the final Germany squad so will be able to complete his medical in London, as well as completing his photoshoot and other media duties.

Arsenal are also expected to finalise deals for Sokratis and Lucas Torreira in the coming weeks. As well as a goalkeeper, the Gunners are also looking at potentially signing a new winger. Personally, the likes of Cristian Pavon and Hirving Lozano have caught my eye at the World Cup, but Gelson Martins is another possibility, especially with the news that he has reportedly cancelled his contract.

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Napoli ask Arsenal for Petr Cech on loan

Napoli want to sign Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech on loan, according to reports.

Italian outlet Di Marzio write that Napoli are desperate to sign a goalkeeper this summer, after their pursuit of Bernd Leno appears to have failed. Their priority signing is Alphonse Areola of Paris Saint-Germain, but the French club aren’t open to a sale, and would prefer to sell Kevin Trapp.

The Serie A side haven’t given up on Areola just yet, but they’ve reportedly made enquiries with Arsenal over the availability of Petr Cech on loan as a back up plan.

It’s a bit of a strange thing to propose to Arsenal, considering Cech’s current contract with the club only lasts until 2019 anyway. By the time the 36-year-old returned from loan he would be available on a free transfer, so it would make much more sense for the Gunners to sell.

It’s not completely unheard of for Arsenal to send players on loan in the final year of their deal, but it usually happens with youth players. For example, Marc Bola and Tafari Moore both spent the year with lower league English clubs, before Arsenal released them this summer on their return.

Perhaps the club could consider doing the same thing with Cech, given he’s unlikely to command a big fee at his age. We’ll have to wait and see how they respond to Napoli’s enquiry.

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5 New Signings: Predicted Arsenal Line-Up vs. Manchester City On Opening Day

It’s less than 2 months before another season kicks off and with the fixtures now announced, we wanted to take a look at the possible team Arsenal could put out against Manchester City, if the transfer speculation is true.

GK – Bernd Leno

You may be wondering who Leno is. Well, he’s a 26-year-old keeper from Bayer Leverkusen who is reportedly set to join Arsenal. Leno is highly rated by Sven Mislintat, with the Arsenal head of recruitment thought to be influential in arranging this move. Should he sign for a reported £22million, I would expect him to be number 1 and be ahead of Cech.

RB – Stephan Lichtsteiner

Bellerin is not with the Spain squad so he will be fresh, but I get the feeling that if Switzerland do not go far in Russia, Emery will go for the experience and tactical discipline of Lichtsteiner against Manchester City.

CB – Sokratis Papastathopoulos

CB – Çağlar Söyüncü

Arsenal are said to be closing in on a deal for Soyuncu, with reports suggesting the player has agreed to the move. If he does join, it will likely be for a significant fee. The 22-year-old is highly rated in Europe and I would expect him to come into the starting line up, particularly because Turkey have had the summer off. Capped by Turkey 15 times already, he is regarded as one of the best young defenders in Europe and has been identified by Sven Mislintat, and it is believed that Emery approves of the signing. Standing at 6ft 2′, he is a physical defender but also someone who is comfortable on the ball. With Koscielny injured, Mustafi and Chambers futures in doubt and Mertesacker retired, should Soyuncu sign, I expect him to start this game.

LB – Sead Kolasinac

With Spain likely to reach the latter stages and Monreal in the squad, I expect Kolasinac to get the nod for this one, he will have to improve defensively under Emery, though.

CM – Lucas Torreira

Torreira is a signing that is set to be completed and I’m sure he’ll come straight into the starting eleven. He’s got the energy to get the best out of Xhaka and has been described by some as a mixture of Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin mixed together – that’s exactly what we need alongside Xhaka and it will help give our defence more cover.

CM – Granit Xhaka

RAM – Mesut Ozil

CAM – Aaron Ramsey

Ramsey will hopefully sign a new contract soon and then become a key member of Emery’s team. It is thought that Unai rates him very highly and wants to build the team around the Welshman. He’s an energetic midfielder who can give the team a lot and help spread the new work ethic across the team, perhaps even with the captain’s armband?

LAM – Henrikh Mkhitaryan

ST – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Whilst Lacazette and Aubameyang could play together under Emery, I feel he will only opt with Aubameyang for such a tough opening fixture. Selecting just one striker will give the Gunners more energy and balance – something Emery will be keen to show from an early stage at the club.

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€30m deal agreed, Medical planned: Arsenal to announce second signing by Wednesday

Arsenal’s pursuit of Lucas Torreira will be done and dusted by early next week, according to latest reports in the Express.

There are only a few minor details that need to finalized and after that, the club can officially confirm the Uruguayan as a Gunner. The deal is expected to be announced before the country’s next match against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

The player is currently with his National team at the World Cup in Russia, where he appeared as a substitute in their opening match.

The club have sent a few staff members to Russia to accelerate the completion of the deal as there are a few sticking points. The

primary objective is to get the medical of Torreira done during the World Cup.

A €30m deal between the player, his club Sampdoria and Arsenal has been agreedfor some time now. With personal terms out of the way, the only detail remaining is the medical and the announcement. It 

Vis understood that Torreira will be given permission by the Uruguay officials the time needed to complete his move.

Once the deal is announced it will become the second transfer to be confirmed by Arsenal after the signing of veteran Swiss full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner. Torreira will provide an immediate boost to the midfield and help relieve some of the pressure that is often felt by Granit Xhaka.

Signing him has not been an easy task as it was complicated by the interest of Napoli and Borussia Dortmund to a certain extent. But, the offer of the Gunners and the superior financial package that they put forth proved to be the clinching factor in getting Torreira to agree to a move to Arsenal.

The Uruguayan has the ability to break up play with his aggressive defending and he can also facilitate the attack as his passing range is very good. Bringing in a player like Torreira will make it interesting to see the way in which Unai Emery will use the services of Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil.

Arsenal fans will have an eye on the matches of Uruguay to see what their new midfielder will be able to bring to the table.

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Granit Xhaka signs new contract

Arsenal have announced midfielder Granit Xhaka has committed his future to the Premier League club by signing a new "long-term" contract.

Switzerland international Xhaka featured in all 38 Premier League games in the 2017-18 season, starting 37 and making a single appearance off the bench.

And Arsenal confirmed on Friday that Xhaka has agreed to extend his stay at Emirates Stadium, although the length of his contract remains undisclosed.

The 25-year-old midfielder featured in all 38 Premier League matches last season, starting 37 and making one appearance from the bench. He has made 94 appearances for us and won the Emirates FA Cup in his first season. He has 61 caps for Switzerland and is part of their squad for the World Cup.

"Hi Gunners, it's Granit, I'm happy and proud to sign a new contract here for Arsenal," Xhaka said in a video message posted on social media. I hope for good results in the future."

Xhaka shook off an injury scare before the World Cup and is set to be involved for Switzerland in their opening Russia 2018 clash with Brazil on Sun

"background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #081f2c; font-family: "Titillium Web", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; padding: 0.8125rem 0px;"> Arsenal's new head coach Unai Emery, who has replaced Arsene Wenger at the club, is looking forward to working with the 25-year-old midfielder.

http://dai.ly/x6m3m10

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Lucas Torreira transfer: Arsenal medical staff arrive in Russia to complete signing

ARSENAL have medical staff in Russia to complete the signing of Lucas Torreira, according to reports in Italy.

Torreira came on in the final minutes of Uruguay's World Cup opener against Egypt as they won 1-0 from a late Jose Gimenez header but will be an Arsenal player in due course.

He is expected to sign a five-year deal worth £2.6m a year after Arsenal agreed a £26.19m fee with Sampdoria.

Arsenal already have the doctors over in Russia to complete the medical procedures and he will officially be an Arsenal player before the end of the World Cup

Unai Emery and Arsenal’s transfer committee have identified the midfielder as the man to help dictate games in north London.

He has impressed for Sampdoria and is expected to be involved in Uruguay’s World Cup campaign.

Yesterday it was claimed the signing was done and dusted by Fabrizio Romano.

When asked by a fan on Twitter about the Gunners’ pursuit of Torreira, Romano said: “[Torreira] is done mate! But I don’t know when [it] will be announced.”

Emery has already signed Stephan Lichtsteiner from Juventus in his first deal since arriving at the Emirates.

Arsenal are also closing in on deals for Bernd Leno and Sokratis Papastathopoulos as Emery looks to overhaul his side.

Emery is also keen to develop his current group of players and challenge for the Champions League spots.

“I believe we can grow with the players we have,” he said when appointed last month.

“The objective is to work hard together and with these talented players.

“It’s very important for the club, after two years outside the Champions League, to work to be the best team in the Premier League and also in the world.”

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Premier League 2018-19 fixtures: Arsenal host Manchester City on opening day

New Arsenal boss Unai Emery will kick off his Premier League career with a nice gentle opener against champions Manchester City on a mouthwatering opening weekend of the 2018/19 season.

Wolves mark their return to the top flight with a home game against Everton, while the other teams returning to the Premier League, Cardiff and Fulham, begin their campaigns against Bournemouth and Crystal Palace respectively.

Tottenham travel to Newcastle – a repeat of last season’s opening fixture – while Liverpool against West Ham is another tasty-looking clash.

Huddersfield’s second season in the Premier League begins with a home game against Chelsea.

The fixtures are all currently slated for 3pm on Saturday August 11, until the TV companies have got their paws on them.

Premier League fixtures: Key dates

Opening Day – Saturday August 11
Bournemouth v Cardiff
Arsenal v Manchester City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham
Manchester United v Leicester
Newcastle v Tottenham
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton
Wolves v Everton

Boxing Day
Brighton v Arsenal
Burnley v Everton
Crystal Palace v Cardiff
Fulham v Wolves
Leicester v Manchester City
Liverpool v Newcastle
Manchester United v Huddersfield
Southampton v West Ham
Tottenham v Bournemouth
Watford v Chelsea

Final Day – Sunday May 12
Brighton v Manchester City
Burnley v Arsenal
Crystal Palace v Bournemouth
Fulham v Newcastle
Leicester v Chelsea
Liverpool v Wolves
Manchester United v Cardiff
Southampton v Huddersfield
Tottenham v Everton
Watford v West Ham

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Arsenal insist they won’t sell Chambers for less than £22m amid Fulham interest

Arsenal don’t want to let 23-year-old defender Calum Chambers leave this summer for less than £22m, amid interest from Fulham, according to reports.

The Times write that Arsenal “want more than £22m for Calum Chambers after interest in the defender from their London rivals Fulham”. They go on to point out that the centre-back almost moved to Crystal Palace last summer, but the transfer collapsed because Arsenal asked for £27m, £11m more than Palace offered.

As you may remember, it’s not too long since Chambers signed his last contract extension with the club. Back in October 2017, he signed a two-year extension, meaning his contract doesn’t end until 2021. There’s therefore no pressure for Arsenal to sell, and they’re free to name their price.

For me, Chambers actually had a solid season in 2017/18. He didn’t have much luck with injuries, but performed more consistently than most of the club’s defenders. The problem is he might not get the chance to have a run in the team in the coming campaign

Shkodran Mustafi is ahead of him in the pecking order, as is Laurent Koscielny when fit. Sokratis Papastathopoulos will presumably also start ahead of the English youngster. Then it’s always possible Rob Holding or Konstantinos Mavropanos impress Unai Emery and earn back up spots.

Hopefully, Chambers is willing to embrace that competition and fight for his place. If he isn’t, though, it might be better to cash in and spend the money on someone who will.

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Announcement imminent, Arsenal to officially confirm signing of £22m star very soon

Arsenal are reportedly close to wrapping up the signature of goalkeeper Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

The Germany international has been associated with the Gunners since the close of the 2017/18 season and the club appear close to sealing his signature after he was left out of his country’s 23-man squad for the World Cup.

According to reports in German newspaper Bild, the north London giants have already a £22million with Bayer Leverkusen for Leno, who could replace Petr Cech between the sticks next term and an announcement of the deal is imminent.

Obviously, the goalkeeping position was a concern during the previous campaign with Cech prone to making key mistakes which cost the club valuable points on the road.

David Ospina, in turn, has been credible with his performances in the Cup and European competitions but he has also had concerns when intercepting crosses from the wider positions.

As things stand, Sky Sports has not revealed the potential package for Leno’s transfer but it is known that he has a £22m release clause written into his current contract.

Leno has not been in the best of form over the past two years where he has been prone to making a couple of notable mistakes but Sven Mislintat nevertheless appears to have earmarked him as the prime goalkeeping target.

The German is swift with his feet and capable of playing the passing game which has been associated with the Gunners but he has had the odd struggle when being subjected to long-range shots.

Arsenal have already sealed the signing of Stephan Lichtsteiner from Juventus on a free and Leno would potentially be regarded as the club’s third recruit considering an informal agreement has already been reached to sign Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund.

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Personal terms agreed, fee agreed – Arsenal set to announce perfect signing

Personal terms agreed, fee agreed – Arsenal set to announce perfect signing

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Arsenal are on the brink of signing Lucas Torreira after agreeing a five-year contract with the midfielder ahead of a £26.5m move from Sampdoria.

Unai Emery is looking to bring in a new defensive midfielder this summer and Torreira emerged as a top target with various reports over the past week claiming we’ve been in negotiations with Sampdoria over a deal.

Yesterday, the Daily Star cited reports from Italy as saying that Arsenal had agreed a £26.5m fee with the Serie A club – which is more than his £22m release clause as we paid a premium in order to pay the fee in installments.

Personal terms were all that stood in the way but it seems we’ve overcome that hurdle as Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Arsenal agreed a five-year contract with Torreira during talks with his agent on Tuesday afternoon.

and Borussia Dortmund to the Uruguayan international’s signature so Torreira looks set to become Emery’s second major signing of the summer following the arrival of Stephan Lichtsteiner from Juventus.

The 22-year-old is currently preparing for the World Cup finals after being named in the Uruguay squad and they play their opening game against Egypt on Friday afternoon so we’ll have to move fast to get this deal over the line.

Torreira is exactly the type of player we need. He’s a ‘proper’ defensive midfielder who protects the back four, makes countless interceptions and tackles, has a good passing range, works hard and has a ‘bite’ to his game that we’ve lacked recently.

I think he’ll be the perfect addition to our midfield so fingers crossed we get this deal wrapped up soon. Granit Xhaka isn’t a defensive midfielder as he’s been exposed far too often while Aaron Ramsey loves to get forward so Torreira will help get the best out of both of them.

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BREAKING: Leno looking likely to join Arsenal.

BREAKING: Leno looking likely to join Arsenal.

Arsenal's interest in Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno is said to be increasing, and the Gunners are expected to launch a move for his services this summer after learning he has a €25 million (£22 million) buyout clause.

The Mirror's Neil Moxley reported Arsenal want the Germany international as a replacement for Petr Cech, who will soon enter the final year of his deal at the Emirates Stadium.

Cech, 35, is nearly 10 years Leno's senior and has attracted some scrutiny that the quality of his performances has declined this season, although the same could be said for numerous stars among Arsenal's ranks.

The former Chelsea No. 1 moved to north London in 2015 after Thibaut Courtois budged him out of Stamford Bridge, and JOE.co.uk celebrated some of his best moments as he approaches the end of his 14th Premier League season:

JOE.co.uk@JOE_co_uk

Is Petr Cech the best Premier League goal keeper ever? Over 400 matches 👏 200 clean sheets ⚽ 4 Golden Glove trophies 🙌 w/ @CadburyUK https://t.co/HpXfkQj4AH

Leno is nearer the other end of his career and could leave the BayArena for an affordable sum in the summer, seven years after he moved to Leverkusen from Stuttgart.

Despite joining as a youngster—he was 19 at the time—Leno quickly established himself as Die Werkself's go-to man between the posts and has reigned ever since, making more than 300 appearances in Leverkusen colours.

Manager Arsene Wenger will leave the Emirates this summer, making it as good a time as any for Arsenal to invest in the goalkeeper position. Leno looks likely to be a part of Germany's 2018 FIFA World Cup squad and boasts a big potential upside at only 26.

It was recently suggested Arsenal could have Napoli for competition in the transfer market this summer, although Goal's Ronan Murphy pointed to evidence that suggests to the contrary:

Ronan Murphy@swearimnotpaul

Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno will not be going to Napoli. His agent Uli Ferber to Bild: "I can confirm that there were negotiations with Napoli, which we have broken off. Napoli is not an option." Atletico Madrid and Arsenal are the other strong rumours. #B04 #AFC

The Gunners will be glad to have the Serie A giants as one less contender they need to beat to Leno's signature, with news of a buyout clause sure to stir interest among European suitors.

As well as seeing standards drop in open play, it seems Cech's decline has seeped into dead-ball scenarios, too, per Indy Football:

Indy Football@IndyFootball

Petr Cech has conceded 16 of the 17 penalties he's faced as Arsenal goalkeeper. Not the best record. https://t.co/4kS4BeC6zF

David Ospina has been second-choice stopper at Arsenal since arriving four years ago, but it could be Cech who sits as deputy for his last year with the club, as long as he remains beyond this summer.

Leno's buyout clause puts him within reach of the Premier League outfit, the only questions being whether he'll be the man who gets their approval as a Cech successor and if they can beat any rivals to his signing.

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Lucas Torreira Q&A: Arsenal target is a dynamic defensive midfielder in the same mould as Marco Verratti

Lucas Torreira Q&A: Arsenal target is a dynamic defensive midfielder in the same mould as Marco Verratti

Arsenal have made Lucas Torreira their top midfield transfer target this summer and are locked in talks with his club Sampdoria over a proposed £22million deal. 

Torreira is currently at the World Cup with Uruguay but Gunners negotiators Raul Sanllehi and Sven Mislintat are hopeful that a deal can be reached before the start of the tournament. 

But just who is Torreira and what can Arsenal fans expect of him at the Emirates? Sportsmail have provided a handy Q&A on the promising midfielder. 

Who is he?/What's he achieved so far?

Lucas Torreira is a 22-year-old Uruguayan midfielder who plays for Sampdoria having joined the north Italian side in the summer of 2016 from Pescara in Serie B.

Torreira was born in Fray Bentos, the Uruguayan port city not the canned meat brand, and played for Montevideo Wanders' youth team before moving to Italy to join Pescara aged 17. 

Just five Serie B matches for Pescara were enough to convince Sampdoria to sign Torreira, for just £1m, before loaning him back for the 2015-16 campaign. 

Since arriving at Sampdoria, Torreira has established himself as a key player at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris missing just five Serie A games across the last two seasons.

What type of player is he?

Given both started their professional careers at Pescara and both play the same position, comparisons with Paris Saint-Germain's Marco Verratti were inevitable, but there are noticeable similarities between the two players' styles. 

Like Verratti, Torreira is an combative, energetic defensive midfielder who relies on his reading of the game to intercept passes and drive his team forward. 

Torreira has brilliant anticipation for a player so young and is a proven ball-winner, pestering opposition midfielders in Serie A by nipping in and claiming possession.

His game in the final third needs work. Torreira doesn't boast the play-making ability of Verratti yet and has managed just eight senior career goals. But he already has all the attributes required for his position as a disciplined, defensive-minded midfielder.

Standing at just 5ft 5ins, Torreira is a diminutive presence in midfield but given the recent success of N'Golo Kante in England, Arsenal will not be deterred.  

What about his international career?

There's a buzz around Uruguayan football at the moment. Granted this is partly because they've been drawn into Group A alongside Russia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. 

But it's also down to the tantalising central midfield partnership that could develop between Torreira and Juventus youngster Rodrigio Bentancur. 

Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny have yet to make the defensive midfield position their own - whether due to a lack of suitability to the role, lack of discipline or lack of tactical instructions from the manager. 

Arsenal under Emery are set to become a far more tactical unit and if the Spaniard wants a tone-setting midfielder to transmit his message onto the pitch then Torreira looks the perfect signing. 

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ARSENAL RECEIVE BOOST AS PORTUGAL INTERNATIONAL PUSHES FOR MOVE

ARSENAL RECEIVE BOOST AS PORTUGAL INTERNATIONAL PUSHES FOR MOVE

Arsenal have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Sporting CP star Gelson Martins, according to reports.

The Gunners’ interest in the winger has been well documented over the course of the recent weeks and it seems they are determined to recruit the player from the Liga NOS side this summer.

Sporting CP are currently in a spot of bother, with a number of first-team players seeking exits following unprecedented attacks from sections of the club’s fan-base.

Fresh reports from Portuguese news outlet O Jogo indicate that Martins, along with teammates Bruno Fernandes and William Carvalho, has pushed for the termination of his deal at Sporting, which would thereby allow him to leave the club on a free transfer.

The news of Martins’ desire to leave Sporting is sure to come as a boost for Arsenal, who are working with a limited budget this summer.

Martins is a target for several clubs but if a free transfer can be achieved for the player, the Gunners will surely be doing all they can to tie up a deal for the Portugal international.

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ARSENAL SUBMIT SECOND OFFER FOR INTERNATIONAL WINGER

Arsenal have reportedly submitted a second offer for Sporting winger Gelson Martins.

Reports in Portugal from A Bola, as cited by Sport Witness claim that the Gunners have stepped up their interest with another €30 million bid.

Arsenal are said to have already failed with a €30 million bid for the player, who has long been linked with a switch to the Emirates.

Unai Emery’s men appear to be stepping up their interest, despite not improving their offer, in a hope of forcing Sporting into selling.

The player does have a release clause in his current contract with Sporting worth €60 million, but that is unlikely to be met this summer.

Martins is said to be keen on completing a move to Arsenal, following a controversial end to the season in Portugal.

Bruno de Carvalho’s actions have seen a number of players push for moves away from the club this summer, with a free transfer not out of the question following recent events in Lisbon.

WOULD MARTINS BE A GOOD SIGNING AT ARSENAL?

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