Premiership: Pires ready for Gunners contract talks

Robert Pires is ready to be the first Arsenal star to answer manager Arsene Wenger's call for the players to follow his lead and sign a new contract at the club.

Pires wants to open negotiations on a fresh deal to replace his current agreement which still has two years to run at the end of the campaign.

And Wenger is hoping now that Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry will soon follow suit.

Wenger will be delighted that Pires has declared a firm intention to stay with Arsenal long-term.

Pires said: "Playing in England has had a fantastic effect on my game and I love it here.

"I feel I am playing better than I've ever played and I have to thank English football for that and the important help Arsene Wenger has given me.

"When I first arrived the physical part of the Premiership game really shocked me and I struggled to come to terms with it but I knew I had to learn to cope with it or I would not be able to perform. But I believe I have progressed a long way because I have become mentally tougher and it is a very satisfying feeling.

"It makes you want more of this and the coach knows how I feel. Hopefully I will be able to talk to the club soon about my future because I'm convinced we have the quality to win big things here not only this season but in the following years.

"We went so close last season, reaching the quarter finals in the Champions League, finishing second to Manchester United in the championship and losing the FA Cup final when we should have won against Liverpool.

"Liverpool ended up with three trophies and we had nothing which really hurt everybody here - especially me, because I have only won one real medal with any club and that was with Metz in the French League Cup."