Pires reveals he turned down Chelsea

Arsenal winger Robert Pires has revealed he rejected an approach from Chelsea this summer in order to sign a new contract at Highbury – and insists it was “an easy decision” to make.

Pires, whose Arsenal side host Chelsea tomorrow, received the approach through an intermediary last May while he was taking a break before the Confederations Cup tournament.

“They made me a proposition and wanted to sign me, but I preferred to stay at Arsenal. It was an easy decision to make because I love playing for Arsenal. I always wanted to stay at the club,” he told the Evening Standard.

That was even before Roman Abramovich took charge at Stamford Bridge, but Pires insists he has no regrets about having signed a new three-year contract with Arsenal as he questioned Chelsea’s title credentials.

“With the number of quality players who have come to the club, Chelsea have made it clear how much they want to win the championship. That is positive for the players and positive for supporters. It shows ambition,” he added.

“However, you also have big players who are used to being first choice and everyone wants to play. That is normal. For the moment everything is going well. But the problems may come when Chelsea lose a game, when they suffer a defeat.”

Pires also admitted that his form has been relatively “poor” this season, with the former footballer of the year being dropped for the games against Manchester United and Newcastle.

“Much of the problem was caused because I started my preparations later than many players because of the Confederations Cup,” he said.

“When I asked Arsene Wenger why I was left out, he said he wanted to give me a rest, that I needed one. We discussed the situation and I accepted what he said. After that break, I played in Moscow and in Liverpool and felt much better.”

Arsenal chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, meanwhile pleaded with the Football Association to hand out “reasonable” punishments following the ugly scenes which marred his team’s goalless draw at Old Trafford.

Five Arsenal players have admitted various counts of misconduct, while the club have pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to control their players.

Hill-Wood told the Daily Star: “We know someone is going to be suspended. We just hope the punishment is reasonable.

“If we don’t think it is, we have the option of appealing. We discussed our plea at board level and have taken the sensible course of action.

“But I think we’ve turned the corner. We’re getting our act together and instead of looking back on things which have gone wrong over the last two years, we’d rather look forward.”

Martin Keown was one of those players charged, having clashed with Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Hill-Wood added: “I had a very fulsome and unprompted apology from Martin. He’s a very intelligent young man and not as fierce as he looks.”