Arshavin strikes

Andrei Arshavin has reportedly gone on strike at Zenit St Petersburg after refusing to play in his team’s Russian Cup defeat on Wednesday night. Arshavin who has been a sought after player since his recent exploits in the Euros have seen many attempts by major European clubs to employ his services turned down by Zenit.

The 27-year-old striker has vowed to stay away from training until Zenit succumb to his transfer demands. Zenit are asking for a reported £25million for the player; a price neither Tottenham nor Barcelona are willing to pay.

Arshavin’s agent Dennis Lachter has accused Zenit of operating under a dictatorship and stated that “This is the Russian way. Nothing will change because this is the old Soviet Union way. For the Russian sports establishment the desires of the player mean absolutely nothing. They are the big bosses. It is a dictatorship. He is a slave.”

Arshavin who initially wanted a move to his boyhood club Barcelona seems bound to make a move to the North London club and will not do anything until his wishes have been granted.

Barcelona maintains interest in Berbatov

While still in The United States, Barcelona have maintained their 100% pre-season wins and have still maintained their keen interest in Tottenham’s Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov and intends to make a move for the striker upon their return from the States.

With new Coach Pep Guardiola at the elm, Barcelona seems a different team and will hope to add some silverware to their shelves in the upcoming season, but first Coach Guardiola has insisted that he needs another striker even if Samuel Eto’o stays. Guardiola sees Berbatov as the perfect choice, given the Bulgarian’s creativity and goalscoring ability.

A number of strikers have been linked to Barcelona, among those are Emmanuel Adebayor, Karim Benzema and Didier Drogba, however none of these players appear to be leaving their respective clubs. Eto’o who has been instructed by Barca officials that if he can come to an amicable agreement with a club; he can leave, has returned to training and has impressed to their pre-season games appears to be staying at Barcelona after all.

Barcelona would most likely get first preference to the Bulgarian should Tottenham decide to sell as the club will not want Manchester United to acquire their star player.

Tottenham prepares €40m for David Villa

With Valencia’s financial situation; the club would be advised to off load their Euro 2008 leading goalscorer David Villa or David Silva to alleviate some of their financial burden but the club has opted to keep their stars despite of numerous offers put forward from clubs in Europe. The latest addition is Barclay’s Tottenham Hotspurs, who are preparing a €40m for David Villa.

According to reports in England, Tottenham are set to reach an amicable agreement with Manchester United for Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov for what is speculated to be a British transfer record. However, in Spain Villa’s agent; José Luis Tamargo has been negotiating with Valencia since the 26-year-old returned from an extended holiday for the striker to get an improve contract and will hope that the club will announce that the player has signed a new contract in a few days.

Even though the short lived Valencia regime stated their intentions not to sell the striker; the new regime looks set to divorce the player in an attempt to rid the club of some of their financial burden and with Robbie Keane’s departure and the seemingly emminent departure of Berbatov, Tottenham could see Villa’s signature in the next few days.

Manchester United interested in Henry

Manchester United’s failure to sign Tottenham’s striker Dimitar Berbatov has left Sir Alex Ferguson with no other alternative but to look elsewhere. Catching the attention of the United manager is former Arsenal striker and Barcelona player Thierry Henry.

Reports have indicated that the man who was voted the best “Gunner ever” by Arsenal fans may make a return to the Premier League and represent the defending champions. Henry’s traits as a striker fit the characteristics Ferguson is looking for in a striker and Henry would make an excellent addition to United’s strike force of Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez.

Much to the dismay of Sir Alex Ferguson, Henry has stated in the past that he will never play for any other Premiership team besides the Gunners and aside from that Henry is a major part of new coach Guardiola’s team and after just one season in Spain will be looking to show the form he showed at Arsenal to help Barcelona win the La Liga.

Keane completes Liverpool move today

The English press reports that Tottenham’s Robbie Keane is heading to Liverpool today to undergo a medical ahead of completing a £20million move to Anfield. Tottenham Hotspurs agreed to sell the Irish captain before the weekend, and provisions are now being made today for the transfer to be completed.

Keane joins Liverpool; his childhood team for £80,000 a week and is expected to make his debut with the club on Wednesday against Villarreal. The 28-year-old now becomes Rafa Beintez’s sixth summer signing, having already acquired in his ranks the likes Diego Cavalieri, Andrea Dossena, Phillip Degan, Emmanuel Mendy and David Ngog.

Keane brings experience to Liverpool having scored 80 goals in 197 Premier League games.

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