Arsenal's bid for Valencia winger Juan Mata is on the brink of collapse.
The Daily Star says they are set to lose out on Mata after missing the deadline to pay his escape clause.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger targeted the Valencia midfielder, 23, as a possible £18m replacement for Cesc Fabregas.
But Mata - who starred for Spain at the European Under-21 Championship in June - will now cost at least £28m.
Arsenal had until Sunday night to pay the buy-out fee written into Mata's contract and the player was set to join them.
But the Gunners were unwilling to do the deal until Cesc Fabregas' potential move to Barcelona was resolved.
And now the Mata deal is almost certainly dead in the water.
