Andrei Arshavin to Man City

Andrei Arshavin - Man City Up the Stakes for Arshavin

Andrei Arshavin is still under contract to Zenit Saint Petersburg, which has apparently turned down Arsenal's offer of 22 million euros (around 19.5 million GBP). This is quite astonishing if it is true. First I'm amazed that Arsenal would offer such a high amount and second I'm amazed that Zenit would turn it down. Except of course that nothing amazes anyone any more with this transfer saga.

It now seems that Manchester City, Real Madrid and Juventus are back in the hunt, unless of course no-one is in the hunt and this is just a ploy to increase the price for Arshavin.
According to the Russian News and Information Agency (RIAN), based on a report in the Sunday Mirror, Manchester City are close to signing Arshavin for $27.4 million (around 18 million GBP which the more observant amongst us will notice is less than Zenit are supposed to have turned down from Arsenal! - is that credible?).

According to the RIAN Arsenal had a $15 million bid turned down (10 million GBP). Arshavin's agent, Dennis Lachter, is now saying that a move to the Gunners is unlikely, after saying it was likely last week.

Manchester City, as everyone in the UK knows, have more money than sense, thanks to the massive wealth of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Arshavin's wage demands and Zenit's insistence on a lump sum would not be a problem - in fact Manchester City might even enjoy flashing the cash just to annoy everyone else.

Manchester City, signed Brazilian star Robinho for $59 million in August, and UK star Wayne Bridge for $20.5 million.

The Sunday Mirror reports that Manchester City met both Zenit officials and the player.

According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal put in a bid of 13.5 million euros plus 6 million euros in unspecified 'add-ons'

Alexei Petrov from Zenit said "I can confirm that Zenit did get an official offer from Arsenal about Andrei Arshavin. It was rejected as insufficient. They offered about £10m. No new offers have arrived from them since. At the moment, Arsenal are the only club to have approached us about the player."

So in conclusion it seems that Man City are ready to pay £18 million plus Arshavin's wages of around £85,000 (i.e. 4.4 million a year - or £2,100 an hour - and yes I do think footballers' wages are outrageous and ridiculous - but if that's what people are willing to pay then so be it) which I suspect is more than Arsenal are willing to fork out, so it would seem that Man City are the favourites at the moment (until we hear that Juventus have offered 35 million euros and Real Madrid have upped that to 40 million of course). Personally I think Arshavin would be better off at Arsenal if he wants to win trophies, but if he wants more money then he is better off at Man City.