Some mornings when I come upstairs to my office, after making coffee, I turn on the lamp so I can see better. Some mornings I don’t.
That’s just the kind of guy I am and if you can’t handle that I suggest you read another blog. This morning I’m operating with no lamp. I just thought you should know.
Anyway, it’s all about the Owl this morning. Apparently, and I say this making that inverted commas sign with my fingers, we’ve agreed a fee with Zenit, the only thing holding up the deal now is Arshavin‘s personal terms. Zenit say:
A fundamental agreement over the fee in the transfer of the player has been reached between the clubs, subject to a medical. But, at the moment, the basic obstacle preventing the transfer going through are Andrei Arshavin’s personal terms.
The player and his agent have made it clear to Arsenal that they will require a higher wage, which the management at Arsenal are not prepared to pay. At the moment, Arsenal will only satisfy those demands at a lower transfer fee. This puts the whole deal in doubt.
Now, somewhere in the fetid depths of my mind I can clearly remember an article whereby Arshavin or his agent talk about being happy to accept a ‘lower wage’ just to ensure a move goes through. Frankly I don’t have the energy to look through all the Arshavin related articles to try and find it but I know I saw it. And let’s not forget just a couple of days ago the Zenit Chief Executive said:
I know that they [Arsenal] have discussed everything with Arshavin regarding his personal terms, which suggests that, if the clubs can agree, the deal will be done quickly.
Then you have these crazy stories about how Alisher Usmanov was going to step in as some kind of white knight, an enormous sweaty blubbery white knight, and make up the difference in the price tag. I really can’t believe there’s any truth to that at all. Firstly there’d be all kinds of legal issues regarding him putting his own money into it and secondly I just can’t see Arsenal allowing it to happen. I think we’d rather not buy the player than accept money from Usmanov to do it.
Basically there’s so much going on that I doubt anybody knows the truth. Certainly not half-arsed blogs that make a post about how the club set up the whole Arshavin thing as a charade to keep the fans onside then follow it up with a post a few minutes later about how Usmanov has bought Arshavin for Arsenal, proudly trumpeting themselves as some exclusive maker. Idiots.
Whatever the truth of it if there’s a ‘fundamental agreement’ between Arsenal and Zenit then a transfer becomes more likely. Then it’s entirely down to the player. Reports suggest he’s looking for £135,000 a week, in which case he’ll be told where to go in no uncertain terms.
There’s some talk that Zenit want him to pay back a part of a signing on fee he got when he signed his last contract with them and perhaps his agent is looking for his Arsenal wages to cover that on top of his basic salary. And again he’ll be told where to go. And if I mentioned Arsenal paying agents fees then I think you know what they’ll be told.
As I said though it’s completely up to Arshavin. If he wants to play for Arsenal he’ll be a very well paid man. He’s not going to starve but nor is he going to get the kind of exorbitant wages he or his agent are apparently looking for. You’d have to think with his transfer fee that he’d be one of the top earners at the club and that’d put him on a par with Cesc or Adebayor on around £80,000 a week. If he doesn’t want to come to us for that money then he can take a running jump in to the Volga as far as I’m concerned.
If he turns down that kind of money then he’s an idiot and we’re better off without him. So let’s see what happens but, at long last, it looks like there’s some light at the end of the tunnel.
Speaking of light at the end of tunnels Tomas Rosicky must be brightening up his passage as he starts training again. According to his agent:
It is a huge and positive advance in his situation, as well as a hope that Tomas’s uneasy injury spell will end.
Good news indeed. I’m still doubtful if we’ll see him this season. The amount of time he’s spent out means he’s got to build up so much in terms of fitness, match sharpness etc that by the time he’s ready it’ll probably be too late for him to make an impact. However, with a good pre-season under his belt and, fingers crossed, no more injuries he should be in good shape for next season. You just wonder what the arrival of Arshavin, if he does come, will mean for him in the long term.
So there you go. Now it’s bright enough outside for me not to worry about whether or not I have the lamp on but I might just put it on anyway. Live life on the edge. That’s my motto. Well, one of my mottos. ‘Don’t pick it, it’ll never heal’, that’s another one.
Finally for today old blogging chum and fellow Gooner Scaryduck is up for ‘Best European weblog’ in the Bloggie awards. If you felt like going over and voting for him, so he wins ahead of the others who undoubtedly all not Gooners, then click here (the mad scrolling made me feel a bit queasy though). It’s our best chance of silverware this year, in fairness.
Till tomorrow.
