Arsenal are set to sign Villareal's Gabriel Paulista after manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that talks with the La Liga side over the defender's potential move to the Emirates are "progressing quite well."
"Talks are progressing quite well," Wenger said. "Can we find an agreement? I don't know. We are slowly progressing and there is a chance."
Although, earlier there were doubts as to whether Arsenal would be willing to meet the £15 million buyout clause in the 24-year-old's contract, Wenger says that his side are ready to meet Villareal asking price.
"It is €20m, which is £15m. We are ready to pay the price we think right for a good player. If we think it is the right price, we will pay," he added.
However, there seems to be a slight complication as the Brazilian is facing problems obtaining a British work permit due to him not making a single appearance for his national team.
Paulista will not get an automatic work permit as he does not have a European passport and has not made any appearances for his national side Brazil.
This means that Arsenal will have to file a work permit appeal for the Brazilian, saying that he comes under the "exceptional talent" category.
The Gunners would find it easier to land the Brazilian in the summer as a new Premier League rule (set to be installed at the end of the season) will give automatic work permit to all players with a price tag of more than £10 million.
However, Wenger, who says that he does not "understand the logic" behind the work permit rule, says that the Gunners will be try their best to obtain a work permit for Paulista this month rather than the summer.
"I don't understand the logic of this [work permit] rule," Wenger said. "If the player we want needs a work permit, we will defend [try and get] it now. We don't want to do it in the summer. We are short now.
"We go in front of a commission and they tell us, ok, yes or no. We accept and respect that. Are the rules right or not? That can be discussed."
