The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has once again stated that he is a long-term admirer of the Barcelona striker David Villa, but has refused to make a move for the striker after being rejected in the January transfer window.

Arsenal tried extremely hard to bring the 30-year-old to the Emirates stadium during January, but Barcelona were unwilling to part with their striker halfway through the season. Villa, though, was extremely keen on moving to Arsenal after being sporadically used by the new manager Tito Vilanova at Barcelona this season. He has fully recovered from the tibia fracture suffered more than a year ago.

Even in a few appearances he has made for Barcelona this season, Villa has been extremely effective for the team. However, Barcelona were unwilling to sell him in January due to the lack of replacements. Wenger has said that he will be looking at the possibility of bringing him only in the summer and not now due to the presence of more immediate priorities like the FA Cup match with Blackburn Rovers during the weekend. The FA Cup remains as one of the best opportunities for Arsenal to bring an end to the eight-year wait for a trophy. After the Blackburn match, they will be facing the German club Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

“I’m not on the case. I like the player but, at the moment, we have some immediate targets that are more important to us – that means a win on Saturday,” said Wenger ahead of the FA Cup tie. Arsenal’s first major trophy came in the form of a 2005 victory in the FA Cup. The lack of a top-class striker like Robin van Persie has been felt at many times this season. The main striker Oliver Giroud has scored just nine goals this season.