Premier League side keen on snaring free agent Arshavin

Russian star Andrey Arshavin has confirmed he will be leaving Arsenal at the end of the season and, after moving to quash rumours that he will retire upon the expiry of his current deal, a host of clubs across the continent are looking to snap him up.

His talents came to the forefront at Euro 2008, were his glittering performances carried Russia through to the quarter-finals in which they were narrowly beaten by Holland. His eye-catching efforts, however, convinced Arsene Wenger to shell out a reported £15m to secure his services in 2009.

After bursting onto the scene in England, most notably bagging four goals in his sides’ 4-4 draw with Liverpool, Arshavin went off the boil dramatically and now finds himself way down the Gunners’ pecking order.

With his Emirates exit imminent, there will be plenty of suitors keen to take a punt that the 31-year-old can rediscover some of his best form and it is believed clubs in Spain and Germany have already put the feelers out over drafting in the man capped 75 times for his country.

However, despite this extensive continental interest, the experience Arshavin has gained plying his trade in England’s top flight means there should be enough teams interested in him that he doesn’t have to leave the Premier League.

Reading were said to be extremely keen on bringing the attacking midfielder to Berkshire in the January transfer window, but a deal could not be thrashed out in time, while Fulham also harbour an interest in combining Arshavin’s talents with the merurial Dimitar Berbatov.

While throwing this duo together would see the Cottagers boast the two laziest players in the division, such a move is likely to attract the former Zenit star.

It would afford him the opportunity to prove his worth in one of Europe’s most competitive leagues, were he has long since been written off. Similarly, with Reading all but assured to be playing in the Championship next term, a revival of their interest in Arshavin looks incredibly unlikely.

For the time being though, he remains an Arsenal player and, while he won’t feature in his club’s late surge to qualify for next season’s Champions League, he must surely appreciate the way they’re playing. A price of 6/4 says they’ll finish the campaign as London’s top club.

All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date