Arsenal appear to be close to ending their search for another goalkeeper after the agent of Carlos Roa claimed the former Argentina international had been offered a contract by the double winners.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is looking for back-up to England keeper David Seaman after Richard Wright joined Everton in the summer and loan target Fabien Carini decided against a move to Highbury.
Roa's agent, Alejandro Camano, said: "We have received an offer from Arsenal and we have spoken to Arsene Wenger who is very interested in acquiring Carlos Roa. He has been training with the club in London since Monday. The player would love to play for Arsenal. He has other alternatives but this is the best one".
Roa is best remembered by many for helping bring an end to England's World Cup campaign in 1998. He was between the sticks when David Batty's missed penalty in a shoot-out after extra-time secured a place in the quarter-finals for the South Americans.
An intriguing character, Roa subsequently surprised the football world at the end of the 1999-2000 season by refusing to discuss a new contract with his team, Real Mallorca, and announcing his retirement from football.
A member of Seventh Day Adventist church, Roa believed the world would end on the night of the new millennium and refused to extend his contract at the Spanish club - instead taking a year out of football and moving to an isolated mountain retreat in Argentina.
When he was eventually tracked down - not even his family were aware of where he was - Roa, who declared himself "relaxed, happy and keen to return to football", moved back to Mallorca and has since forced his way back into the first team.
However, his religious beliefs continue to hamper his football career, with his refusal to play, or even train, before dusk on Saturdays unlikely to impress Arsene Wenger.