Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has flown to Spain to negotiate a £10m deal for Seville Brazilian striker Julio Baptista.
Dein was due to meet the Seville vice-president on Friday and expects to seal a deal for Sevilla’s leading scorer.
Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido has confirmed that a Spanish club has also made an offer for the Brazilian.
“Up to now, we have only received an offer for Baptista from a Spanish team and it is not Barcelona,” said del Nido.
“We have offered him several times the revision of an improved contract, but he has rejected them.”
Arsenal have also confirmed that Robin van Persie will miss the club’s pre-season trip to Holland to avoid any problems associated with his arrest for rape last month.
