Brazil keeper Marcos said he could be an Arsenal player before the end of this season as he looked to finalise his move to Highbury.
Marcos, who has passed a medical, was negotiating personal terms on a proposed four-and-a-half-year contract after flying into London once his club, Palmeiras, had agreed a transfer fee estimated at £2.4 million sterling.
Arsenal want the 29-year-old keeper to join them as soon as possible, given that the transfer window shuts at the end of this month and they need experienced back-up for David Seaman as Rami Shaaban has a broken leg.
Although Marcos is set to take over as Arsenal number one next season, with Seaman possibly becoming the club's goalkeeping coach, there were doubts whether he wanted to leave Brazil before this summer.
However, he revealed: "It is possible that I will be here by the end of the month. There are many formalities to be sorted out first but, yes, I could be an Arsenal player this season.
"I will need time to adapt and obviously I will be better when I have a pre-season training with Arsenal, but I am hopeful the transfer will be sorted out before I go back to Brazil tonight".
"I have to get international clearance and the financial details have to be agreed between me and with Palmeiras and Arsenal," he said.