英国《卫报》：泽尼特再拒阿森纳1200万英镑报价
Arsenal officials go to Russia for Arshavin talks after Zenit reject £12m bid• Sources suggest deal could be concluded this week
• Zenit 'holding out for closer to £20m' for star player
Arsenal officials have travelled to Russia in the hope of securing a deal for Andrei Arshavin. Photograph: Neal Simpson/Empics Sport/PA Photos
Zenit St Petersburg's spokesman, Andrei Petrov,
dubbed Arsenal's revised offer for Andrei Arshavin as "insufficient". The Russian club have already rejected Arsenal's preliminary £10m bid, although sources suggested that the deal for the midfielder was still on track and could even be completed this week.
"We don't think £12m is enough for this player. We are not giving figures. But a sum of more like £20m would be good for Zenit," Petrov told the Guardian. Asked whether other parties were chasing Arshavin, he replied: "There have been no other official offers."
Commentators in Russia believe that Zenit are prepared to part with Arshavin – the key figure in Russia's impressive Euro 2008 performance – for more like £15m. Two Arsenal officials are due to hold further talks in St Petersburg with Zenit tomorrow.
Arshavin's agent, Dennis Lachter, appeared optimistic that both sides would soon reach agreement. He told the Russian website newsru.com that the deal should be concluded "this week" and added: "Andrei wants to move to Arsenal, and Arsenal wants to acquire Andrei. All that remains is for the parties to agree compensation."
Arshavin was due to fly to Dubai for a pre-season training camp with his Zenit team-mates. He has repeatedly made clear to the club's Dutch coach, Dick Advocaat, that he wants to leave and play abroad. Having taken almost a month off in the Russian close season, the player would not be match-fit for Arsenal until February.
A key figure in Arsenal's pursuit of the player appears to be the Gunners' majority shareholder, the Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who is chairman of Gazprom Investmentholding, a branch of the state-run energy giant Gazprom, which owns Zenit.
"Usmanov wants Arshavin to join Arsenal. In fact he insists on this deal," Anton Lisin, a football writer and columnist with Sovietsky Sport said. "Arshavin is desperate to leave and play abroad. Arsenal is definitely the place where he can succeed and where they play very technical passing football."
Lisin predicted that Manchester City could also table a bid for Arshavin, should their much-vaunted attempt to sign Kaka fall through. City had already informally held soundings with Zenit, he suggested. Zenit refused to confirm this but said they had held "informal" talks with "several clubs".
