ARSENAL are trying to flog Jose Reyes to Real Madrid in the transfer window to raise money for New Year signings. But Real are refusing to stump up the £10million asking price and want the Gunners to keep Julio Baptista in a straight swap.
Manager Arsene Wenger has already rejected that proposal and hopes to thrash out an acceptable price for Reyes over Christmas. The Spanish international striker is on loan to Real for the rest of the season and has made it clear he does not plan to return to England. But he is still under contract to the Gunners until 2011 and could be forced back unless Madrid cough up.
Real coach Fabio Capello is eager to keep Reyes at the Bernabeu but does not want Baptista back. And that could prove the stumbling block to any deal being thrashed out next month as Baptista, 25, has failed to impress Wenger over the past four months.
The Brazilian international has started just two games all season and been substituted in both. Yet Madrid paid £14.7m to sign Baptista — nicknamed The Beast — from Seville in 2005 and still reckon he would be a fair swap for Reyes.
The Arsenal boss has been told there is no money available for new signings but a cash deal for Reyes, 23, would give him the resources to splash out in January.
Wenger has tipped Tony Adams to follow him as Arsenal manager. Adams, 40, is completing his coaching licence while working as Harry Redknapp’s assistant at Portsmouth. Wenger admitted: “Maybe he will be a future Arsenal manager. Why not?”
