Lazio are reportedly set to offer Andrey Arshavin a way out of the Emirates in a £6m deal, despite breaking back into the Gunners lineup.
The 30-year-old Russian has managed more game time recently, but with only 18 months left on his current contract, the Gunners will be looking unload him before the start of next season.
Arshavin’s former Russian side Zenit St Petersburg are also keen on reacquiring his services, however Wenger will be reluctant to sell another attacking player with injuries and the African’s Nations Cup stripping his squad leaving him pretty bare in all areas of the park.
Despite the intense criticism that Arshavin has received, especially this season, Wenger has hailed the little Russian as ‘efficient’ after providing assists for Van Persie against Swansea and QPR, however for the rest of those games he has lost his way and had little impact.
Wenger said on Arshavin:
Sometimes the visual impression you get from a game has been frustrating, but he is very efficient. We can all have big responsibility but we need confidence for what we do.
While I agree with Arshavin’s efficiency, however majority of his performance is dreadful. Why isn’t Oxlade-Chamberlain not starting? He has shown in all of his performances he is extremely dangerous and has always troubled the goalkeeper, surely he should be pushing the lackluster Arshavin for a starting place?
But anyway Arshavin will most likely not be sold until the summer with Wenger short on attacking options at present and some big matches looming during the intense winter schedule. But come July he’ll be out of North London.
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