Zenit St Petersburg are refusing to lower their asking price for in-demand forward Andrei Arshavin.
The Russia international has been linked with a move to Tottenham, although the Premier League side are reluctant to meet the Zenit’s valuation of the player.
Over the course of the summer Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea have all found Zenit St Petersburg’s demands too steep; Tottenham may well come to the same conclusion.
Amid speculation that Zenit were prepared to cut their £24million asking price for Arshavin, However, a spokesman for the Uefa Cup holders branding these rumours ‘untrue’.
The club’s sporting director Konstantin Sarsaniya also said: “The situation has not changed. Tottenham offered us £15.8m for Andrei, but that does not work for us. We are waiting for a new proposal.”
Zenit have been bankrolled by Alexander Dukov, their millionaire president, and, as they prepare to enter the Champions League group phase, he insists Arshavin will not be allowed to leave on the cheap.
Tottenham boss Juande Ramos hopes the stalemate will be broken today when Arshavin’s agent, Dennis Lachter, meets Dukov in Madrid. Lachter intends to secure a price for him from Dukov which he can then present to the north London club.
