Pires eager to remain a Gunner

ROBERT PIRES would love to extend his stay with Arsenal, but Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger maintains there is no provision to automatically offer the 31-year-old a new 12-month deal when his current contract expires.

France midfielder Pires was on target as the Gunners beat Middlesbrough 1-0 at The Riverside on Saturday, which saw them move three points clear of Manchester United in second place in the Premiership following a shock victory for struggling Norwich over Alex Ferguson’s men.

Pires - 32 in October - will be out of contract in the summer of 2006, and has made no secret of his desire to remain with the club he joined from Marseille for £6million in July 2000.