Wenger biding time as Pires awaits comeback

ARSENE WENGER could recall Robert Pires to his starting lineup for tonight’s visit of Premiership strugglers Portsmouth, but will keep the French World Cup winner waiting a few days before revealing the longer-term plan.

Pires is out of contract in the summer and can start talking to other clubs from January 1 if Wenger can not persuade him to stay at Highbury. The future is not clear, though, as Pires was a familiar figure freezing on the substitutes' bench in Arsenal's Boxing Day win at Charlton.

Both Wenger and Pires, 32, hope to stay at Arsenal together, but the midfielder wants a two-year deal and the Arsenal manager has set a precedent of not offering players over 30 more than 12-month contracts.