Cazorla set to undergo medical at emirate for a fee around £18m deal

Malaga have confirmed midfielder Santi Cazorla has not attended training today amid reports he’s on his way to London to undergo a medical with Arsenal.

With Robin van Persie poised to leave, the capture of Cazorla, 27, is the major signing of the summer that Arsene Wenger has been promising. 

Wenger was beaten to the signature of the Spain midfielder last year by Malaga, who had been seemingly enriched by their purchase by Qatari Sheik Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani. 

But the club now have to clear huge debts by the end of the month or face relegation to Spain's second tier, the loss of their UEFA licence and Champions League expulsion.

Adding Cazorla to the signings of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud represents the most significant summer strengthening since Arsenal imposed financial constraints on transfers in 2004.

Former Arsenal Player Martin Keown praise Podolski's level of experience

Martin Keown believes Arsène Wenger has got it right this summer with the signings of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.

The duo will join their new team-mates this week after the conclusion of the Club’s pre-season tour of Asia.

Keown played 449 times for Arsenal in two spells between 1981 and 2004 and insists the experience of Podolski in particular will prove invaluable as the Gunners look to build on last season’s third-place finish.

“Podolski has come in with an undisputable amount of experience,” Keown told Arsenal.com at the launch of The Arsenal Brent Cross. “He had a quiet Euros playing in a wide position, so it will be interesting to see where the manager will play him.

“But he is an outstanding player and that is the level of experience we need.

“We have seen Giroud in flashes and it looks like he has got great qualities too. If Wenger is taking him you can be sure he is going to be a top player. So there are lots of plusses.”