Eurosport - Wed, 07 Jan 13:29:00 2009
Arsenal look set to step up their bid to land Andrei Arshavin after Zenit St Petersburg coach Dick Advocaat admitted he was resigned to losing the Russian playmaker.
The 27-year-old has been a target for a number of Europe's top clubs since his excellent displays at Euro 2008, and has long been on the radar of Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
However, a stumbling block may well be over the reported £20 million fee and excessive wages package Arshavin currently commands.
Zenit boss Advocaat certainly does not expect to have Arshavin at his disposal for much longer.
"I am aware that Arsenal are interested, but I do not know any more than that. However, I am expecting Arshavin to leave Zenit for another club," the former Rangers boss said.
"He is a top player and he could play for any team and any of the top teams in England, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool.
"Arshavin played well for us last season but he didn't play as well as he can. There is still more to come from him and people will see that."
Advocaat added: "In principle, I have already bought Arshavin's successor, Danny, because I thought Arshavin was going to leave last year. Danny can play in the same position as Arshavin so we won't be disrupted when he goes."
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has some money to spend should he wish to strengthen the squad during the January transfer window, although whether his budget would be enough to cover the package needed to lure a player such as Arshavin to the Emirates Stadium remains to be seen.
The Arsenal manager maintains business will be done only for an "exceptional talent", and indicated being cup-tied for the Champions League knock-out phase would not deter Wenger if it meant signing a quality player.
He said: "I would like to think longer term.
"If the right player comes in, even if he is not available for the Champions League, his class is more important for me."
Comment 49 - 68 of 128
Downfall?? I have watched the Arsenal for years now and we are doing all right its just lady luck does not smile so often on us. But she will. Have patience, I dont thinf Arshavin is the answer, we have to try him though. We need a centre back more, and have Toure and Gallas shake hands and out their differences aside. People are starting to take sides.
Andrei Arshavin is too good for Arsenal. The Londoner club lack ambition - sure they can be great now and then, but realistically, they're not Premier League title contendors, and no where near the capability to challenge for the Champions League.
He should go to a club that is, or is aiming to be very ambitions in the near future. Clubs like, Manchester City, Spurs or Manchester United.
Arsenal isn't the way forward for him.
ARSENE, YOU ARE STILL NOT LISTENING TO ME. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I PLEADED WITH YOU TO BUY DECENT DEFENDERS. WE DONT NEED ANOTHER STRIKER (ARSHAVIN). YOU HAVE NEVER REPLACED THE MIGHTY FORTRESS FOURSOME OF DIXON KEOWN ADAMS AND WINTERBURN. YOU NEARLY GOT IT RIGHT WITH COLE GALLAS TOURE AND SENDEROS, BUT DECIDED TO LET COLE AND SENDEROS GO. CLICHY WILL BE A GREAT DEFENDER ONE DAY, SO HOW ABOUT "RECALLING" MATTHEW UPSON HE PLAYS FOR ENGLAND NOW AND YES YOU LET HIM GO TOO. WE HAVE PLENTY OF STRIKERS BENDTNER EXCLUDED, GET RID, YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM LONG ENOUGH AND HE STILL CANNOT FIND THE NET. FOUR YEARS IS TOO LONG WITH A TROPHY. VIC ACKERS ARSENAL LADIES KNOW HOW TO WIN EM.
OLD GOONER.
Assenal should sign Berbatov so that him and gallas can have a refreshing gaseous exchange after games....cos they both smoke.
WELL DONE
hes hardly gonna add beef to the squad, we have enough playmakers that cant play as it is why do we need another? what we need is some beef in midfield bring back vieira anyday
Guys....and the few girls....its time I hanged up my fingers or my tongue. Someone is breaking the rules....my heart tells me that respect is more than ashavin, its not insulting. Respect means keeping a clean @#$%.
I don like giving the wrong signal or getting the bad patch on a good thing. The story is ripe and ready, hot and scathing.....
Ashavin Must Join Assenal..
Is he actually any good? A couple of half decent games in Euro 2008 but he went missing when they played in the semi-final. I think the fact that he is still at Zenit (albeit they are UEFA Cup holders) tells it's own story. If he was that good, he would have been snapped up a long time ago by the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid or even (much as I hate to include ManUre in clubs like that) ManUre. None of the big clubs in Italy came in for him, and if reports of his wags at £100k per week are to be believed, I must be worth at least £20k a week.
ARSHAVIN PLUS ARSENE PLUS ARSENAL EQUALS GLORY.
Yeah buddy, I don doubt your source...JohnD. My problem is the only dependable source is the clubs website or the presentation of the player. Remember some rumourists had sold Lampard to inter for £7m?
We gotta love the other sides' fans. We gotta respect each other. We spell unity when we engage in what I call healthy thinking.
As long as liverpool doesnt win nothing, I'm safe, dusted and handsomely rolling my patience pages....I dont really like keeping fingers crossed cos I just need one finger to tip off a weakling. One finger means the trophy.
what downfall Kennedy, may I remind u this youngsters alwayz quallified out of Champions League Group Phase, but Arsenal ex undefeated team 2 times failed to do so in last 8 years, once favor to Depor and once to Ajax. Sure we can't concentrate at easy games, but we sure can on big-ones, there's no big team Arsenal faced last 2 years aginst Arsenal diodn't play good football! There's no reason to be affraid lol, just couse we are in a little half season slump. Look at Tottenham or City, maby evan Newcastle who buy and buy and schiit for shows in league, and they are not complaining of downfall, why should we? ;]
mugpgits hahaha, Gallas beat Arshavin on the pitch!!?? hahaha, do u realise that one of them grew up somewhere under the french sun and another under SSRS regime??
no shin he isn,t but we have enough of those with captain Gallas and worthy Fabregas in the field or injury bench latley, what we need is more crazy guyz like Van Persie, but one that can get crazy with the flow on middfield too, just like Hleb waz once, is the player I regret the most, if he can furfill Hlebs role, who wasn't a leader too, but a crazy guy persueding another adventure...then we are set! ;}
iam a big arsenal fan.but what i have learnt is that,wenger is not serious in signing new players that can help our team lift trophies,only bla bla bla bla.i knew many players we have heard they rumours without signing.please they should stop pulling our legs and face the downfall that is ahead of us....
i dont believe arshavin is good enough for arsenal. it looks to me zenit are so desperate to sell him as well. this arshavin guy isnt exactly wot arsenal need either; he isnt exactly a leader and not exactly a player that the young guns will look upto.
Are u kidding johannvergara? U must be! Don't tell me u wish 4 Arshavin to become a 2nd or a 3rd Nani, who btw is a top player, peety for him, he can't make the first team once too often, if that means to play at ure best, when u play only once at 4-5 games in first team, I think Arshavin should run from the name Manchester U, like Rubinho from Madrid! LOL
Bingo stock for bingo stock.They will be in good company together!
Deluded spurs fans being bitter about not getting Arshavin, you can make do with that mercenary Defoe....theres no way you are better than Arsenal..If harry and Wenger were both fighting for Defoe' signature....where do you think he'll go to then ? HUH ???
he is gr8
good signing from arsenal..and good for arshavin to come in attacking style team...good luck
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