Beckham trains with Arsenal on Tuesday, but Wenger dismissed the idea of him playing for the club

Arsenal have tested the resolve of Barcelona by lodging a bid of about £8 million for David Villa.

Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said yesterday that he was interested in signing only a top player before the transfer deadline tomorrow and it is understood that Villa is his first choice, even though he admitted that Barcelona have resisted selling the Spain forward. “We could do with top quality, one more, but you have to find him,” Wenger said.

“Barcelona doesn’t want to sell David Villa. They have made that clear. You respect the desire. If I say that somebody is not for transfer, I expect the other clubs not to try to buy him.”

Villa, 31, who earns £110,000 a week, is likely to cost