Gunners' Trabelsi bid in balance

ARSENAL'S bid to sign Tunisian right back Hatem Trabelsi from Ajax is on the brink of collapse as manager Arsene Wenger continues to insist Patrick Vieira will not be leaving the Gunners for Real Madrid.

Wenger, who has added midfielder Mathieu Flamini from Marseilles and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia from Celta Vigo to his squad this summer admits he wants to sign a right back and has "some interest" in Trabelsi but the entire £3.5million deal looks doomed and that could let Newcastle United back in.

Magpies manager Bobby Robson has been closely monitoring Trabelsi's efforts to extricate himself from a contract dispute at Ajax and was reportedly willing to pay the Amsterdam club's asking price to conclude the issue.