Reyes can handle pressure

Reyes, who has already played three times for Spain, insisted that he had followed Arsenal since his childhood, declaring the club to be a " sensation".

He told his new club's website, www.arsenal.com: "This is a big club and everyone would like to play here. I chose them as they are a club I have liked since I was a child.

"I know a bit of history about the club, I've found out for myself. What I do know is that it's a sensation."

Reyes had been courted by Arsenal for more than a year, with the club having initially believed he would not be available until the summer.

"The Sevilla manager was a bit upset as he didn't want me to go but the president always said I had the freedom to leave," he added.

Reyes gives Arsene Wenger a range of options, given that he can play on either flank or as a support striker in the mould of Dennis Bergkamp. Wenger, meanwhile, has backtracked on previous claims that the Reyes deal has used up all of his transfer funds for the year by revealing that he could make other signings in the summer, provided they are cheaper.

The Arsenal boss, who has been linked with Feyenoord's Robin van Persie and West Ham's Jermain Defoe, has Bergkamp, Wiltord and Kanu all out of contract this summer.

He said: "To say we cannot buy anyone at all any more is not right, but we will have a smaller budget. If needed, we could, of course, go for more players."

Looking ahead to Sunday's match against Manchester City, midfielder Freddie Ljungberg hopes to recover from a rib injury but defender defender Pascal Cygan is doubtful with an ankle knock.

City hope former England striker Robbie Fowler (flu) and Richard Dunne (toe) will be fit.