Arsene Wenger and Arsenal are increasingly confident of sealing the signing of David Villa, by making a bid for him in the final days of the January transfer window.
Arsenal were boosted by the news that Villa was pining for a move away from Barcelona, with the North London club his preferred option.
While there are still several aspects that need to be sorted out, it is becoming increasingly likely that a move for Villa might just happen.
Arsenal will go to Barcelona with a bid of around £10 million ($16 million) for the 31-year-old even though Barcelona have repeatedly said their player is not for sale, according to The Sun.
Wenger himself said most of the transfer activity happens in the final week, with it becoming frenzied in the final 48 hours.
"The prices go always up at the start of the transfer market and go down in the last week," Wenger added. "Sometimes as well they go up in the last week, but it depends.
"Most of the time they go down in the last week and you know as well that 90 percent of transfer activity happens in the last week if not in the last 48 hours."
Keeping that in mind, Wenger is planning a final assault on Barcelona for Villa and if the player indeed tries to force a move, Arsenal will have the upperhand in the negotiations.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are tracking goalkeeper Julio Cesar as doubts keep growing over Wojciech Szczesny.
Cesar has been in good form ever since making his move from Inter Milan to Queens Park Rangers, but the London club are desperate to offload some of their players to decrease the wage bill.
The arrival of Loic Remy at a big salary, coupled with a few more signings who are expected to come, has left QPR needing to balance their books by letting go of some of the high-earners, with either Robert Green on Cesar available.
While it seems unlikely that Harry Redknapp will be willing to let go of his No. 1 goalkeeper, nothing can be ruled out, with Green a capable keeper in his own right.
Arsenal have also been linked with a move for Liverpool custodian Pepe Reina, but a move for a goalkeeper looks more likely in the summer at the moment, with Wenger prioritizing a striker and a defensive midfielder.
