Wenger to seek Keown deal

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is determined to sign veteran defender Martin Keown on a new contract this summer, although a compromise deal may have to be reached.

Keown, 35, is out of contract at the end of this season, but while Lee Dixon has announced his retirement and Tony Adams is still considering his future, the current England international wants to carry on.

Keown was linked at the weekend with a possible move to Newcastle, although he intends to stay put at Highbury if a deal can be agreed, ideally for two years.

Arsenal opened negotiations by offering only one further year, but the likely compromise, according to the London Evening Standard, is that Keown will agree to a one-year deal with a further one-year option.

Wenger, who will also hold talks with Adams in the next fortnight, said: ‘‘I like to think I have 11 leaders in the dressing-room. Martin is certainly one of them. Of course I want him to stay.’’

Keown, who was called up into the England World Cup squad, has previously confirmed he wants to stay at Highbury.

‘‘It is now a matter of sitting down when the time is right and talking about a new contract. It has not been possible recently because of the programme of matches,’’ he has said.

‘‘But this is a great club, one of the biggest there is. I want to stay part of it and hopefully that will happen.

‘‘I’ve no wish to play anywhere else. It has been suggested to me that the club want me to stay so that is an encouraging sign.’’

Keown has left for England’s pre-World Cup training camp in Dubai, although his advisors could continue talks with Arsenal in his absence.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has also left the door open for his players to sort out their futures while they are away with the national side.

‘‘If a player has big problems, it’s not that easy to put those problems about your future, concerning you and your family, off until after the World Cup,’’ he added.

‘‘Hopefully there will be few agents and phone calls like that but I know how football is. I think it’s better to try to resolve a problem than to wait one month to do so.’’