jose - soccer

Andrei Arshavin could soon be appearing at a Barclays Premier League ground near you, with Arsenal taking a look at Russia's star of Euro 2008.From talented drafts player to one of the hottest properties in world football, here is all you need to know about the 27-year-old on Arsene Wenger's wish list...

1) Andrei Sergeyevich Arshavin was born in St Petersburg - then called Leningrad - on May 29, 1981.
2) As a schoolboy, he showed great promise as a drafts player before turning his full attention to football.
3) While at university he wrote a thesis on sportswear production, but dismissed his decision to study for a diploma in fashion design as an opportunity to meet girls.
4) As a boy, he fell in love with the Barcelona team coached by Holland legend Johan Cruyff and has previously said moving to the Nou Camp would be his dream.
5) Arshavin made his debut for Zenit St Petersburg when coming on as a substitute against Bradford at Valley Parade on August 2, 2000. The Russians won the InterToto Cup semi-final match 3-0.
6) He scored 71 goals in 310 games for Zenit, while for Russia he has scored 15 in 41 caps. With Zenit he won the Russian Premier League title in 2007, the League Cup in 2003, and the UEFA Cup, European Super Cup and Russian Super Cup in 2008.
7) Individually he has won a number of player of the year awards and was ranked the sixth best player in the world in 2008 for the Ballon d'Or - won by Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo.
8) Arshavin once stood for local elections in St Petersburg for the United Russia party led by Vladimir Putin (right) but withdrew his candidacy before a vote was cast.
9) The Communists of Leningrad group accused Arshavin of being a 'traitor' for his desire to leave the country. Berating him for 'putting up his body for sale for greedy Western clubs', they warned: 'If you want to sign for any Western team you will lose your spiritual connection to Mother Russia and Russians will never forgive you.'
10) Arshavin may be on the verge of leaving Zenit, but he stares out from the April page of the club's official 2009 calendar.

Andrei Arshavin last night partied with his Zenit St Petersburg team-mates for what he believes will be the last time before sealing a move to Arsenal. The Gunners may be furious that their far-from-concluded negotiations have become public but the Russia forward hopes any problems can be overcome so that he can achieve his dream of playing for one of Europe's elite clubs. It would be the perfect Christmas present as the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the festival two weeks later than in England.

The 27-year-old spent the public holiday with his wife Yulia and their two young children before saying goodbye to his Zenit colleagues at St Petersburg's five-star Grand Hotel Europe at their annual Christmas bash. It is a farewell that the forward knew he had to make after starring for his country in their bold march to the Euro 2008 semi-finals before losing to Spain.

Those performances - along with his key role in winning the UEFA Cup against Rangers with Zenit last season - made him famous across the world, but returning home to a country that had appreciated his talent for years felt too much like getting back in the depressing old routine.

(source: dailymail.co.uk)