SOCCER: Arsenal will this week tie up the signing of the Marseille and France midfielder Franck Ribery in a deal that is expected to cost a minimum £13.5 million.
Although sources close to the player insisted yesterday nothing has been finalised, his agent Bruno Heiderscheid declared on Sunday "a transfer offer for Franck" would be "registered with (Marseille's chairman) Pape Diouf within 24 or 48 hours".
That offer is from Arsenal and this morning's edition of France Football, a publication close to Arsene Wenger, confirms the move.
The arrival at the Emirates Stadium of the France international, who emerged as his nation's most exciting prospect in their run to the World Cup final, will finally see Arsenal's manager Wenger relent over Ashley Cole's future and authorise his £25-million departure to Chelsea. Arsenal have not included Cole in their travelling squad for their Champions League third qualifying round, first leg, against Dinamo Zagreb. The England full back would have been ineligible to represent another club in the competition had he played.
"I do not know what will happen with Ashley Cole in the next few days," Wenger said yesterday, "but for me, certainly, the deadline has come now to make a decision one way or the other. This week is the last limit I can expect something to happen. To play the football I love, I need the players who can play the game I love and until now we always managed to do that.
"We have one advantage in that we've never been a prisoner of names. There are many people who have predicted many times we'll collapse and we've always improved. I have in my squad good enough players no matter who leaves."
But even that may not end Arsenal's summer-transfer business. Ribery's arrival will harden the resolve of Real Madrid to recruit Jose Antonio Reyes from Arsenal. The Gunners also retain a strong interest in Chelsea's William Gallas.
Madrid had pursued Ribery, with the failed presidential candidate Juan Miguel Villar Mir having made a verbal £26-million bid to Marseille in the run-up to elections. But the tycoon's defeat by Juan Ramon Calderon in the Bernabeu ballot led to the withdrawal of that offer. The Spanish club's subsequent interest, reactivated last week, produced a much-reduced offer.
The two clubs may now go head to head once more for the services of Gallas, whose agent was in London yesterday for talks with the Chelsea board. Gallas is seen by Arsenal as the perfect replacement for Sol Campbell and wanted by Real as Fabio Cannavaro's foil, and his future at Stamford Bridge is unclear after he refused to join the Premiership champions on their US tour.
Not only is the Arsenal manager intent on demanding Chelsea pay the going rate for Cole, he is also determined to ensure his side overcome Dinamo Zagreb to proceed to the gold mine of the Champions League. Wenger furrowed his brow yesterday when asked whether he had included qualification in his season's budget with the £390-million Emirates Stadium casting a long shadow over the club's future. "We need to be successful, that is for sure," he answered firmly.
Wenger is intelligent enough not to underestimate the Croatian champions, and he admitted avoiding a shock defeat, with the home second leg in mind, was far more important than winning tonight.
"Of course we will try to win here but above all we must not damage our chances of qualifying. In two weeks we will be in much better shape (for the second leg) than now, I hope," said Wenger, who is concerned Zagreb possess an advantage with their league season already under way.
Wenger is again forced to deploy a young side, although they can no longer justify labelling themselves as inexperienced after last season's near miss in the Champions League final. Thierry Henry is rested tonight and Wenger has Freddie Ljungberg, Philippe Senderos and Abou Diaby missing through injury. Jens Lehmann is suspended after his red card in the Champions League final and will be replaced by Manuel Almunia.
As eight-time winners of the Croatian league since its inception in 1991, Zagreb are the country's dominant side. The Germany international Jens Nowotny is their most established name, although their talented Brazilian striker Eduardo will stretch Arsenal at the Maksimir Stadium. Inside that venue, Wenger is also expecting a hostile reception from the notorious Bad Blue Boys fans. "I have known Zagreb for a long time and it is always very intense down there," he said.
• Maksimir Stadium, 8.05 On TV: UTV
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