Arsenal on brink of Arshavin deal

Arsenal remain hopeful their frantic deadline-day attempts to complete the signing of Russian playmaker Andrei Arshavin will culminate in success.

It is understood that, after a day of drama in north London, the Gunners submitted the necessary paperwork to the Premier League ahead of yesterday’s 5pm deadline and are confident of announcing a deal today.

But the transfer could not be processed last night, leaving Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger sweating on whether or not his number one target would be confirmed as an Arsenal player.

Amazingly for a deal which has been under discussion for the duration of the January transfer window, the proposed move went to the wire.

If Arshavin does become a Gunner, it is likely to cost manager Arsene Wenger between £12m and £15m – potentially a club record.

It is believed Arshavin would wear the number 13 shirt vacated by Alexander Hleb when he joined Barcelona last year.

The transfer looked likely to proceed in a relatively straightforward fashion when the Zenit St Petersburg midfielder was pictured in Hertfordshire yesterday morning, having flown into England yesterday.

However, sources close to the deal soon revealed Arshavin was on his way back to a London airport and the transfer was on the brink of collapse.

But negotiations continued behind the scenes with the asking price, personal terms and a possible payment from Arshavin to Zenit all mooted as potential sticking points.

Wenger has been a vocal critic of the winter transfer window but was nevertheless keen to add Arshavin to his increasingly injury-hit squad.

The 27-year-old was identified early on as Wenger looked to compensate for the losses of long-term injury absentees Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott, who is expected to be fit for a first-team return in four weeks.

But the pursuit has proved a troubled one, with contradictory early statements from Arsenal and Zenit providing a hint of the difficulties to come.

Zenit, though, looked to be readying themselves for life without their star attraction when they finalised the capture of Hungarian midfielder Szabolcs Huszti yesterday.

Wenger was adamant at the weekend his flagging squad did not need an “instant saviour” but Arshavin, who starred for his country in last year’s European Championships, is seen as a potentially galvanising influence for a side who are enduring one of their most disappointing seasons under Wenger.

They currently lie five points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa after successive league draws against Everton and West Ham.

Meanwhile, severe snow in the capital means tonight’s planned FA Cup fourth-round replay against Cardiff has been rearranged for Saturday, February 14.