Roque Santa Cruz, the Blackburn Rovers and Paraguay striker, is the man Arsenal want if they lose Emmanuel Adebayor this summer. Santa Cruz scored 19 league goals in 37 appearances in his first season at Ewood Park after a £3.8 million transfer from Bayern Munich. He was given a four-year contract on his arrival in July 2007, but Arsenal believe that they can tempt him, and Blackburn, if a leading European club come in with a serious offer for Adebayor.

That possibility is increasing with rumours that the Togo forward has caught the eye of Josep Guardiola, the new coach of Barcelona, who is planning a clear-out in the summer. Adebayor has insisted that he is happy at Arsenal, but his wage remains in the region of £35,000 a week and the club would be incapable of competing with Barcelona financially, if pressed.

Only last week, Adebayor said that he was flattered by reports in Spain of Barcelona’s interest, alerting Arsenal to a potential problem, having already lost Mathieu Flamini to AC Milan. Despite 30 goals in all competitions this season, Adebayor has not always been a positive influence at Arsenal and his relationship with Nicklas Bendtner, his striking partner, including a very public clash during a 5-1 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carling Cup, is difficult. With Eduardo da Silva not back from a broken leg and dislocated ankle until near Christmas and Robin van Persie struggling with a series of injuries this season, Arsene Wenger knows that he cannot afford to go into the next campaign without a top-grade striker and was impressed with the way Santa Cruz, 26, quickly adapted to the combative style of the Barclays Premier League.

Blackburn would ask serious money for the Paraguayan if Mark Hughes, the manager, entertains selling at all. Wenger is adamant that if Adebayor leaves, he needs an established replacement in order to keep pace with Manchester United and Chelsea.

Much now hinges on Barcelona’s potential bid. Adebayor is aware of the situation and when asked recently about it by L’Equipe, the French sports daily, said: “It pleases me, because it is very flattering for a young Togolese who is only 24 to see Barcelona following him. For the moment I’m very happy at Arsenal, but we’ll see what happens next.”

Wenger also has his eye on off-field matters this summer and hopes to use the power vacuum created by the departure of Keith Edelman, the former managing director, to facilitate David Dein’s return to Arsenal. The Frenchman remains close to the man who took him to the club 12 years ago and has championed his cause to Peter Hill-Wood, the chairman, and Danny Fiszman, who has a 24.11 per cent stake and is the most influential man at the club.

Wenger has received little formal encouragement but has not given up hope of securing a remarkable return for Dein, particularly as Arsenal have not found anyone to replicate his functions since he left in acrimonious circumstances last year. The former vice-chairman was forced out 13 months ago because he tried to bring Stan Kroenke, the American billionaire who owns 12.19 per cent of the shares, into the club. Dein’s cause has been helped by the departure of Edelman, who was his most vociferous opponent on the board.

Many at the club have come round to Dein’s view that further investment is required if they are to compete with Manchester United and Chelsea. Hill-Wood has softened his attitude to Kroenke from “not our sort” to someone he is willing to work with as a bulwark against Alisher Usmanov, the Russian billionaire who has acquired almost 25 per cent of the shares. Unfortunately for Dein, he has since teamed up with Usmanov, selling him his 14.58 per cent stake last year and becoming chairman of his investment vehicle, Red and White Holdings, but he may be willing to resign if it helped him to secure a return to the club.

Wenger played a bigger role in the departure of Edelman than is commonly known. The pair often clashed over money and matters came to a head after the club did not invest during the January transfer window.

Wenger is frustrated at a lack of funds and has been told that any improved contracts for players this summer must come out of his £50 million transfer kitty.