Arsenal ace offered an escape route from the Emirates

Russian club Zenit St Petersburg are apparently offering an, what the Sun has called, escape route to former player Andrey Arshavin. His form this season has not been as good as it has during his time at Arsenal and sporting director Igor Komeev is keen to welcome the Russian back to Russia’s former Imperial capital.

Komeev said: ‘With Arshavin it is very simple — we would always welcome him back to the club whether that is now or in the future.”

To say it would come as a bit of a surprise is putting it mildly, Arshavin may not have been scintillating this season but he is still a quality player who can contribute greatly to Arsenal’s push for silverware domestically and abroad.

His dip in form combined with an upturn in Theo Walcott’s may have pushed Arshavin somewhat down the pecking order at the Emirates. But surely he is better than the Russian League? Indeed as a player I don’t think there are many who would say that Walcott is better, faster yes and currently playing better. But on the whole, Arshavin is a far better player who can do things with the ball at his feet that wouldn’t even cross Walcott’s mind and he’s two footed to boot. These reports suggesting he is now unsettled with life in London seem simply that to me – reports, just getting on a player because he’s not currently reproducing the form of previous years.