Mijatovic Flies in for Reyes

Arsenal's vice-chairman David Dein yesterday received the Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic in London to talk terms over the sale of José Antonio Reyes. That Dein, who conducts all of the Gunners' transfer business, should have acceded to the meeting indicates that the club have abandoned their hope of retaining the Spain winger. Reyes was left out of the Champions League qualifying round first leg at Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday, which the Premiership side won 3-0, ensuring that he will not be cup-tied.

Though the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger claimed that Reyes, as he had extended his contract last summer, would inevitably remain in north London, the player has been making it patently clear to his employer that he views a move to the Bernabéu as the next step in his career. Despite 2½ years spent in England following a £10.5m move from Sevilla, Reyes still does not speak the language and has found it difficult adapting to the weather and British cuisine.

"I want the matter to be resolved as soon as possible," the 23-year-old was quoted as saying in the Spanish press yesterday, claiming he would be monitoring his mobile phone in an attempt to push a deal through. "My family and I are worried [the transfer] might collapse but I am hopeful things will be sorted in the end."

There seems no doubt of that, though Arsenal will seek to recover what they spent on the player with perhaps a further premium. The Champions League finalists will then proceed with the pursuit of the France winger Franck Ribéry, a more natural selection for the left-sided position than Tomas Rosicky.

However, Lyon have raised the stakes in the chase for the Frenchman, reactivating their interest with a €22m (£14.8m) bid yesterday, an advance on the £13.5m Arsenal were set to pay. Ribéry is keen to play in the Champions League and Lyon have qualified but Arsenal remain confident they can persuade him to join his French team-mate Thierry Henry.

Arsenal's transfer business cannot end there, however, since a left-sided defender will be required to replace Sol Campbell and plug the gap left by Ashley Cole's expected departure to Chelsea.