London, Jan. 7 : Arsene Wenger-coached Arsenal football club is on the verge of signing Euro 2008 star Andrei Arshavin for 10 million pounds.

The 27-year-old Russian playmaker is in London for talks with Gunners chiefs at the Landmark Hotel. His wife Yulia is accompanying him.

Wenger is ready to offer Arshavin a three-year deal as his club Zenit St Petersburg concede they can no longer command the unrealistic 20 million pound they had been demanding with the player’s desperation to quit the club so well documented.

Arshavin has even threatened to buy himself out of his contract earlier this week because Zenit wanted so much for him even though he is not eligible for the latter stages of the Champions League.

The Mirror quoted Arshavin’s agent Dennis Lachter as saying: "It’s like that famous movie ‘show me the money’ (Jerry Maguire). It’s just like that. The appetite of Zenit is huge. If they realize times have changed then the Andrei move (to Arsenal) could be very possible."

Signing Arshavin will finally appease frustrated Arsenal fans who had been angered by Wenger’s stubborn loyalty to his youngsters and his refusal to dip into the millions available to him at the Emirates. (ANI)