Luis Enrique is primed to succeed Arsene Wenger as Arsenal's manager.
The Barcelona icon is available to take over at the Emirates Stadium as soon as Wenger departs at the end of the season, having put himself on sabbatical in Spain.
Only an unexpected glitch in negotiations, which are well advanced, can prevent now the appointment of the 47-year-old winner of countless honours as a creative forward with Barcelona and Real Madrid and subsequently as manager of the Catalan giants.
The approach has been made by Arsenal's new director of football relations Raul Sanllehi, who forged a close relationship with Enrique at Barcelona.