Arsenal are set to beat off competition from West Ham to the signing of Romanian international Ciprian Marica.
The 27-year-old forward is a free agent after leaving German club Schalke, and therefore is free to sign for any club outside the transfer window. Marica has been linked with moves to the likes of Inter Milan, Lazio and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Arsenal were also linked with Marica in the summer transfer window and are a forward short, after failing to land a striker before the window shut last Monday.
West Ham are also in the market for a forward, but according to the player's agent, Marica could be an Arsenal player by next week.
"He's close to joining Arsenal, but we have to wait for the next week," his agent Ioan Becali recently told Prosport.ro.
"Marica is a really great striker who has already got experience in western European football and so it's natural that big clubs are eyeing his career."
Arsenal could not pull off a deal to bring Luis Suarez from Liverpool, while they failed in a deadline day loan bid to sign Demba Ba from Chelsea, after the West London club reportedly pulled off from the deal in the last minute.
Meanwhile, former German international Michael Ballack has backed Arsenal's signing of Mesut Ozil and expects the playmaker to make a big impression in the English Premier League.
"Mesut is a young player and at his peak," Ballack said. "He is an outstanding player, who joined a new club, I don't think it's a problem (being nervous about playing in England).
"Arsenal are a great club and paid a lot of money for him. That proves his exceptional standing on international level, this amount is not common.
"I really hope everything works well for him, he will be an addition to the league especially with his technical skills and pace with the ball."
