Usmanov the Key to Arshavin Transfer

Even though he is not on the Arsenal board and he has been treated like a pariah figure by the board since he started to build up his stake in the club, it appears that Usmanov is the man who will ensure that Arshavin joins Arsenal.

The Arsenal majority shareholder, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who is chairman of Gazprom Investmentholding, a branch of the state-run energy giant Gazprom, which owns Zenit.

“Usmanov wants Arshavin to join Arsenal. In fact he insists on this deal,” Anton Lisin, a football writer and columnist with Sovietsky Sport said. “Arshavin is desperate to leave and play abroad. Arsenal is definitely the place where he can succeed and where they play very technical passing football.”

Advocaat has stated that he expect the deal to go through this week, whilst Zenit officials are still talking about £20 million, a figure that they know they will never get from Arsenal.

Let us hoep we have good news on this transfer saga before the week-end.