Exclusive: Arsenal and Aston Villa are poised to discover whether they have won the race to sign Sverre Halseth Nypan.

Arsenal scored twice to come from behind and defeat Girona 2-1 to secure their place in the Champions League round of 16.

Arsenal are set for a huge financial boost after sealing their place in the top eight of the Champions League. The Gunners finished third after beating Girona 2-1 to join Liverpool in the last 16

THE Champions League league phase will conclude TONIGHT – with fans treated to a bumper round of action. All 36 clubs will be in action this evening as the race for a spot in the last-16

Arsenal have had a bid rejected by Aston Villa for England striker Ollie Watkins; Watkins has scored 10 goals in 23 games for Villa in the Premier League this season; Gunners expected to return with improved offer;

The draw for the knockout phase play-offs will be held pretty swiftly after the group stage is completed, with teams learning their fate on 31 January. Then the first legs will be played on 11-12 February and the second on 18-19 February. That gives the top eight teams a useful spell without European football as the round of 16 begins on 4 March.

Champions League updates, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction - Gunners are all but guaranteed automatic last 16 spot but still chasing key win in Spain

Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Aston Villa have learned their fates for the next stage of the Champions League following the conclusion of the league phase. Liverpool had already guaranteed a top-eight spot and a place in the last-16 having won their first seven games in this year’s competition.

Liverpool will take on either Paris Saint Germain, Benfica, AS Monaco or Brest in the round of 16. Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side will await one team out of AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord or Juventus. Villa will take on either Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Club Brugge or Sporting Clube de Portugal.

Manchester City scraped into the Champions League play-offs and Liverpool finished at the summit despite losing to PSV Eindhoven. Aston Villa sank Celtic to finish in the top eight and go straight through to the last 16, but Villa’s Ollie Watkins was the target of a bid by Arsenal.

Aston Villa rejected a bid from Arsenal for Ollie Watkins; Jhon Duran set to complete move to Saudi Arabia side Al Nassr in coming days which would leave Watkins as only striker at Villa; Watkins has scored 10 goals in 23 games for Villa in the Premier League this season.

The Champions League has been revamped for this season with the introduction of a league stage - and English clubs have already earned a significant sum.