Arsene Wenger wonders how to snap Emirates attacker back into life as former club offers Andrei Arshavin an escape route.
Bet on Arsenal with Sportingbet.com and get a free bet worth up to £50
Watch Arsenal v Wigan live streaming with GetSport.tv
Struggling Arsenal star Arshavin offered return to Russian club Zenit St Petersburg
Zenit St Petersburg are on standby to rescue Andrey Arshavin from his Arsenal demise.
The Russia forward has come in for criticism after a lacklustre season that has yielded just four League goals in 21 games.
His boss, Arsene Wenger, insists he is happy with the 29-year-old, but has not given Arshavin a start in the League since the start of the year.There was a chance to impress in the FA Cup third-round replay at Leeds on Wednesday night, but – apart from assisting the opening goal in a 3-1 win – he was quiet and replaced by Robin van Persie for the last 20 minutes.
Arshavin forced his way out of Zenit two years ago when the Gunners forked out £15million on transfer deadline day, but the Russian champions are happy to forget the past and welcome back their former captain.
Sporting director Igor Korneev said: ‘With Andrey it is very simple. He graduated from our club and the doors are always open for him.
‘We would always welcome him back to the club whether that is now or in the future.’
SOURCE: Daily Mail
There is clearly something not quite right with Andrei Arshavin. It doesn’t take a body language specialist to see that for whatever reason the Russian international just doesn’t appear to have his heart in it at the moment, or indeed for the best part of a year.
Sometimes watching the 29 year old amble around the field can be equally frustrating and painful for Arsenal supporters to watch. The usually flamboyant attacker’s displays are almost zombie-esque and Arsene Wenger is no doubt trying to find out what exactly the problem is, and indeed how to cure it.
When Arshavin first arrived at the club he could do no wrong, he was a breath of fresh air and he appeared to be loving his time in London but at the tail end of last season and throughout this term he gives off the vibe that he would rather be elsewhere. This has led many, rightly or wrongly, to deduce he is homesick which given that he spent the previous 28 years of his life pretty much exclusively in St Petersburg (or Leningrad as it was named when he was born) is not a surprise.
What now? Well Zenit has helpfully got involved in the matter and one wonders what the Emirates boss may decide to do. If he was to allow Arshavin to leave it would not be for any less than the £15m the North london club paid for his services two years ago.
Either way, any move would probably hold off until the end of the season, not least because the Russian season will not begin until mid March, and perhaps by then Andrei will have snapped out of it?
Fancy a flutter? Join Sportingbet and get a free bet worth up to £50! There are countless markets to bet on including which team will win, the first goalscorer, the correct score or even the time of the last goal. You can also try your hand at an accumulator and try to win big from a small stake. So visit Sportingbet.com and register now to put your money where your mouth is.
Join the Best Football Manager game now, Its Free!