Sevilla star Julio Baptista has admitted he is not keen on moving to Arsenal with Real Madrid also now having emerged as contenders for his signature.
Baptista, known as 'The Beast', is Arsenal's top transfer target and The Gunners have dispatched vice-chairman David Dein to Spain to try and thrash out a deal for the Brazilian.
Sevilla have admitted that an offer from the North Londoners - believed to be in the region of £16 million - has more or less been accepted, but it is the player himself who is blocking the transfer.
Baptista, 23, would prefer to stay in Spain for a further season as it would enable him to claim a Spanish passport next summer and clinch a lucrative cut-price move from Sevilla.
What's more the midfielder-cum-striker has now revealed he fears having to adapt to a new country and league could harm his prospects of featuring for Brazil in next summer's World Cup finals.
"There are many factors against it (moving to Arsenal)," Baptista told Marca.
"I would have to leave Spain and adapt to another league in World Cup year and I believe I have a good chance of playing in it."
Barcelona are waiting in the wings hoping that the player will stay put as they would like to sign him for a reduced fee next summer but it has now come to light that arch rivals Real Madrid are ready to spend big to try and snare the player this summer.
Real are prepared to bid £20 million to land both Baptista and his Sevilla team-mate Sergio Ramos - the highly-rated 19-year-old defender.
Baptista has conceded he would not be averse to a move to Madrid but insists he will not think about the possibility until an offer arrives on the table.
"I have always said that I would never say no to any team and not to (Real) Madrid either," he continued.
"You don't have to explain what an important club it is with all its history.
"Any player would like to play there.
"It would be something I would have to think about with the people who work with me.
"We would see what the best option was, but as it is not something that has happened as yet, we are calm."
