ARSENAL TALK: Wenger branded a 'cunning fox' over pursuit of Arshavin (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

ARSENAL TALK: Wenger branded a 'cunning fox' over pursuit of Arshavin

9:42am Thursday 3rd July 2008 in

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ARSENE WENGER has been labelled a 'cunning fox' for his part in trying to land Russian starlet Andrei Arshavin.

The Arsenal boss is thought to be a big admirer of the Zenit St Petersburg attacker but recently questioned his physical conditioning after seeing him struggle in his country's semi-final exit at the hands of the Spanish in Euro 2008.

But Zenit official Dennis Lakhter has claimed that Wenger's comments are merely a rouse designed to 'fool the competition'.

"Arsene Wenger is a cunning fox," said Lakhter.

"In the morning he says Arshavin will play all the time at his club and during the day he says he doubts the capabilities of Andrei to play three games in a row at the highest level,"

"But this is a tactic to fool the competition.

"He calls Andrei a Tsar and then tries to deny interest in the player."

Arshavin was one of the finds of Euro 2008, playing an instrumental role in guiding Russia through the group stages, while his goal in the quarter-final against Holland capped an outstanding display.