Arsenal face fight for Alvarez

INTER MILAN are attempting to hijack Arsenal’s move for Velez Sarsfield starlet Ricardo Alvarez with a €12m bid.

The highly-rated Argentine midfielder has been strongly linked with Arsene Wenger’s side and, until now, Arsenal had been clear favourites for his signature. The Gunners are believed to have tabled a bid worth €10m, with the 23-year-old destined for Europe this summer.

Argentinian outfit Velez are holding out for around €15m, but will have been encouraged by Inter’s offer, which propels the Italians to the front of the queue.

Alvarez’s agent, Marcello Simonian, refuses to divulge which club is his client’s preferred choice, but said: “I can only say that the footballer is prepared to play at a big European club.”

Alvarez is being lined up by Arsenal to replace Cesc Fabregas, but Wenger may also have to repel a €23m Manchester United bid for Samir Nasri, according to reports. The 23-year-old has been offered a five-year contract by the Gunners after his top quality showings last season. However, he is yet to put pen to paper and confirm his stay at the Emirates, with speculation abounding that his reluctance to commit reflects Arsenal’s trophy drought and uncertainty about the manager’s transfer activity.

Amid reports that Barcelona are preparing to up their €30m offer for Fabregas, former Gunners defender Nigel Winterburn believes their captain is “too loyal” to the club and to Wenger to leave during the summer transfer window.

Winterburn also added that if the Gunners decide to sell one of their most important players than they should only let him go for €45m, a fee that Barcelona president Sandro Rosell is not ready to meet as he confessed last month.

Asked how important the Spaniard is in the Arsenal midfield, Winterburn said that he is a player that any squad in the world would want to have as he’s creative, takes risks and can pick the perfect pass.

“Cesc would like to join Barcelona. But I think he’s got great loyalty to Arsenal Football Club and Arsene Wenger, and I don’t see him trying to force a move away.

“I can’t believe £27m is going to get Cesc Fabregas; I think if it goes around £40m the deal will be done. But Barcelona seem reluctant to pay that amount of money, so it seems we could still be debating it as the transfer window closes.

“He’s the creative player; he takes the risk with those little forward passes in and around the box for [Robin] van Persie and [Marouane] Chamakh. Nasri was sensational for half of the season and [Jack] Wilshere has done really well, but I wouldn’t say you’d want to sell Fabregas. But if he stays he has to be committed to the football club — a half-committed player is not worth anything.”

Meanwhile, Wenger claims Arsenal are doing all they can to keep Gael Clichy. Serie A giants Roma are believed to be heading the queue for his signature, with Liverpool also in the hunt. Wenger has revealed that Arsenal are in talks with the defender regarding his future.

“We have started talks with Gael and want him to stay,” confirmed Wenger.