Set Andrei free!

As the things are slowly starting to stir up before the transfer window reopens in January, rumors are also piling up. One of the interesting stories that could finally come to its end in January is Andrei “the slave” Arshavin’s saga.

Before the Euro 2008, no one had even heard of this versatile player, but now he is filling the headlines. Russian national team manager, Guus Hiddink included him in the squad despite this one was unable to play in the first two group fixtures due to suspension and Guus was definitely right to do so. He helped his team qualifying to the next round by setting the first and scoring the second in Russia’s final group game with Sweden. Quarter-final saw him providing an outstanding performance doing the same thing, setting up the first and scoring the second goal for the elimination of Netherlands from the competition. Despite not managing to repeat the same success in the semi-final when his team lost to eventual winners, Spain, Arshavin was named in UEFA’s squad for Euro 2008. His national team’s success went on with him leading his current club Zenit to 2008 UEFA Cup success. Dick Advocaat, Zenit manager urged the board to do whatever it takes to hold him in the club aware of the upcoming hype. But I think his club went slightly over the line… Zenit St Petersburg are insisting on the price rejecting many of the west European giants and I think this lad has the longest list of the turn-downs behind him. Not that he wanted to turn down any of the offers…

Zenit saw their chance and are reluctant to let him for a “pocket money”. After his impressive performances for both Russia and Zenit, Manchester City were the first ones to stand in line reportedly offering 12 million pound for the lad, but it seemed not enough for the Russian outfit. Over the next period several clubs battled to capture his sign. Having heard of all the fuss, Arshavin was glad to see so many clubs grabbing for him, but he was also angry with his boss for not letting him go. He even went on saying he was a SLAVE kept against his will in Russia. Well boy, this isn’t the World War II, you have your contract so shut it!

As the time went on over the past several months, Zenit went on to increase the fee. Newcastle, Chelsea, Barcelona, Arsenal and now Tottenham all stood in the line, but had to hand out up to 24 million pounds for this really impressive forward who can play both as the striker and the attacking-midfielder and that, with his great skills, are his greatest values. Spanish giants seem to have ended the race for Andrei, but it looks like Tottenham are being most persistent and even Roman Pavlyuchenko said he wanted his Russia team-mate to join him at Tottenham. It also seems that Zenit have cut the price a bit and now ask for ‘mere’ 20 million pounds. Since Arshavin is 27 years old, I think that January would be the right time for him to go. When you have a player like this boy in your Russian squad, you simply must come with the terms that he needs to move on if he is to additionally improve as a player. With Russian championship long over, Arshavin is surely starting to lose his fitness and would definitely have some problems adapting where ever he might go. People will begin to question his performances, asking if he is worth the money spent and it can easily happen for him to get lost in all the hustle.

Dick Advocaat seems to have finally cut the slack, saying that sometimes you have to give players of that quality a chance to show themselves in Europe and it is the right time for Andrei to do that. It is the price of success! So Zenit please, get the shackles of this fellow and set him free!

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