Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti will fly to London tomorrow to clinch the deal for Arsenal striker Nicolas Anelka, Italian newspapers reported yesterday.
The Corriere dello Sport claimed Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein was resigned to losing Anelka to the Serie A club. "We will make one last try (to keep Anelka) and then we will give the green light for Anelka to go to Lazio," Dein was quoted as saying.
Initially Anelka seemed less than keen on a move to Lazio but the French newspaper L'Equipe yesterday quoted him as saying that the Roman option was still open: "My priority is to join Real Madrid but if that does not work out why not Lazio. I prefer that than to return to Arsenal," he said.
Arsenal are believed to want a fee in the region of £22 million for Anelka, who only cost the London side £500,000 when he signed from French club Paris St Germain.
Meanwhile, late last night Claude Anelka denied the reports from Italy that his brother signed for Lazio.
Claude, who acts as an agent for the 20-year-old French international, said from Paris: "It's false," adding: "Real Madrid are still in the race to sign him."
Arsenal have complained to FIFA that transfer rules have been broken by the player's representatives holding talks with Real without their permission but Anelka rejects the allegations.
"All the clubs do that. Arsenal did the same thing with me to get me to leave Paris St Germain." Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: "Two weeks ago, I was sure Anelka was going to stay but today I'm a little more pessimistic."
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