As has been widely reported, the Spanish club confirmed last night that a deal had been agreed with Arsenal and that the French International defender would travel to England ahead of a medical at the club today.

The story first broke on Wedneday night after Squillaci asked not to play ahead of the Andalucian club’s Champions League qualifying match against Braga in Portugal to avoid being cup-tied if a potential move to the Gunners came about.

The Spanish press reported that as a result of this late refusal to play, tempers flared and there was a heated confrontation between manager and player, with Squillaci reportedly listing poor management as one of the reasons he wished to leave the club.

But Alvarez has denied these reports, stating that the deal is simply a case of a player wanting to move on.

“On the issue of Squillaci I said that if any player does not want to be here, I’d rather not have him here either, but there was no problem, despite all that has been published about what was said. There was nothing like that.

He has found a new team and he wanted to go.”

If all goes well with the medical Sebastien Squillaci could be officially announced as an Arsenal player later today or tomorrow, with the fee believed to be in the region of £5m.

Sevilla have already begun searching for a replacement for the powerful centre back with Mallorca’s Ivan Ramis and Valencia’s Alexis Ruano both heading the list.

But it is hardly the remarkable achievement many will make it out to be.

This is a side that has consistently been in the top four of spending in the Premier League for the last decade. Only their opponents last night have a bigger net spend over the last few seasons, yet it is only now that they have succeeded in getting that 4th spot. And that statistic alone probably says far more about their failure over the last decade or more than it does about their campaign this season.

And now with their goal of top class European football achieved, and a feeling of jubilation surrounding the lillywhite half of North London, I would not be at all surprised to see them fall at the first hurdle next year, as with Everton when they managed to break into the top four in 2005 before failing to get past the qualifying round.

Spurs have always acted in the belief that they can compete with the world’s elite, with manager after manager being sacked for failing to live up to their fans’ unrealistic expectations and now that they have finally managed to strike gold with Harry Redknapp I wonder how long they will manage to keep faith in hm. If they fail to reach the group stages next season and start slowly, it will be interesting how much pressure he will come under.

They lack what the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City already have – truly world class players – and this will almost certainly tell in Europe when they come up against a different style of players in a different style of football. They don’t have a Tevez, a Torres or a Gerrard and despite the windfall of £20m that last night’s game was reportedly worth, you struggle to see them managing to bring in a player of the calibre needed to take them to the next level.

To sign a player like those you need to have two things – massive reserves of money and a great pedigree and history of success. Unfortunately for them, Spurs don’t quite make the cut in one department and are sorely lacking in the other.

Of course, there could still be more joy for Spurs fans, long before next season begins. Just two points behind Arsenal and the Gunners limping towards the finishing line, many will have at least one eye on pipping them to third place on the final day of the season. If they do that, then it will be the first time in 15 years that they have finished above their biggest rivals, although with the Emirates playing host to Fulham, it is likely to be a dream that doesn’t

A repeat of this season is what Spurs should be aiming for and if they do just that, without overstretching themselves financially and without impatience, Arsenal fans should, for the first time since Arsene Wenger took over, be doubting their superiority over their bitter rivals. But with their history of spurning opportunities, no Gunners fan should be trembling just yet.

Celtic fans will argue that they didn’t have the luck on the day and perhaps that’s right, but the truth is that Arsenal never looked in danger of conceding at one of football’s fortresses, and by the 2nd half the famous home atmosphere had been replaced by the Gunners’ loyal away support as Wengers broke up attacks before they had a chance to build the momentum needed to excite the Hoops’ faithful.

The team in the green and white did start the match well in a frantic and very competitive first half that seemed to take its toll on the Glasweigians as the game wore on. Arsenal have a new found resilience at the start of this season though and the best chance that Celtic could muster was when the dangerous McGeady very nearly played in an onrushing Scott Brown, only for a fantastic last ditch challenge from Vermaelen to prevent any sight of goal.

Then came the killer blow for the Scots, Gary Caldwell rash in his challenge on Fabregas in the final third of the pitch. Caldwell couldn’t have predicted how it would lead to a goal though, as Cesc Fabregas’ shot hit a ducking William Gallas and diverted into the opposite corner of the net with Artur Boruc stranded. Unlucky but not against the run of play, with several hints earlier on that Arsenal could step it up and cause Celtic real problems if and when needed.

The effect of Gallas’ unintentional opener coupled with Celtic’s growing weariness made the 2nd half a far easier affair for the North Londoners, easily keeping Celtic at arms length with fantastic pressing causing numerous unforced errors from the SPL runners up, not used to such a high level of pace and technique. Van Persie had a couple of decent chances, while Denilson also curled just wide from a decent position as Arsenal found more and more room to manoveure in. When the second goal came there was again a slice of fortune involved, Diaby beating his plan and playing in Clichy, the Frenchman’s drilled cross being onverted by the hapless Caldwell’s studs. With Bendtner waiting to tap the ball in I don’t really think too much blame should lie with Caldwell, however, contrary to what Celtic fans believe.

With that goal went any realistic Celtic hopes of progressing to the Champions League proper it would appear, with an awful away record not the best attribute to have when approaching a tie at the Emirates Stadium next week. So job done for the Gunners who now face cash strapped Portsmouth at the weekend to make it three wins out of three for the season so far.

The one time winners of the European Cup have been given the first game at their Parkhead home on the 18/19th August before travelling to London for the 2nd leg at the Emirates Stadium. Celtic struggled through the previous round against Dinamo Moscow to set up this tie which should be an exciting encounter between two great clubs.

I am very much looking forward to the tie and am confident that Arsenal can ease past the challenge of Celtic. Despite the Glaswegian clubs’ rich history the Premier League’s superior finances has seen the standard of the English clubs rise dramatically to the point where I am expecting a difficult challenge in Glasgow but a straight forward game in the return leg. Celtic’s summer signing of Marc-Antoine Fortune for £3.8m illustrates the gulf in class that now exists between the sides and barring a huge shock Arsenal should make their way into the Champions League proper.

Full Champions League play-off draw

• FC Sheriff v Olympiakos

• SV Red Bull Salzburg v Maccabi Haifa

• FK Ventspils v FC Zurich

• FC Copenhagen v Apoel Nicosia

• Levski Sofia v Debrecen

• Lyon v Anderlecht

• Celtic v Arsenal

• FC Timisoara v VfB Stuttgart

• Sporting v Fiorentina

• Panathinaikos v Atletico Madrid