Reyes and Baptista to swap

Arsenal's Jose Antonio Reyes and Real Madrid's Julio Baptista are to swap clubs.

Real Madrid have agreed a deal to sign Jose Antonio Reyes on loan with Julio Baptista heading to Arsenal.

Reyes has spent much of the summer hankering after a switch to Real, although capital rivals Atletico recently lodged a bid.

Arsenal had resisted the overtures from La Liga, but it appears that Reyes' wish to return to Spain has now been granted.

Real confirmed on their official website that the two clubs have agreed on a deal which sees Reyes and Baptista swap clubs on season-long loan deals.

The players would then have the option of permanent transfers next summer, if the moves prove to be a success.

Baptista only joined Real from Sevilla last summer, but Arsenal had also been heavily linked with the Brazil international.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger now looks to have landed the versatile attacker, although it will be at the expense of Reyes' departure from The Premiership.

Reyes expressed his relief that an agreement had been found for him to return to Spain for this season.

"Now that I have signed, I feel like the happiest man in the world," Reyes told Radio Marca.

"However, until I had signed, I was not calm.

"On Wednesday evening I was told everything had been done.

"Arsenal gave the okay and Baptista was travelling to London - then I began to believe it."