SOCCER: Arsenal are expected to attempt to sign Willy Sagnol after being deterred by the salary demands of Ajax right back Hatem Trabelsi. The Highbury side hope the arrival of the France international will help pacify their disaffected captain Patrick Vieira, who is a close friend of the Bayern Munich defender.
Trabelsi, who earns €500,000 a year at Ajax, has priced himself out of a £4 million move to Highbury by demanding a threefold hike in his salary, and is understood to be interesting Newcastle. "There is an interest [in Trabelsi]," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. "There is still a chance. But we have some disagreements."
Vieira, however, is understood to have been underwhelmed at the prospect of the 27-year-old Tunisia international becoming Arsenal's major signing of the summer and he has sought to make his position clear to Wenger, who is unwilling to discuss developments until the arrival in Austria of David Dein.
Dein, the Arsenal vice-chairman, will join the squad on their pre-season tour tomorrow. That Dein, who is also vice-chairman at the English Football Association, should do so when there is such pressing business at Soho Square is being seen as an indicator of the gravity of Vieira's situation with his club.
Real Madrid have made Vieira their prime transfer target, and though they hope not to have to pay more than £24 million for the France international midfielder - a sum Arsenal have vowed not to accept - the Spanish side believe they will have him in place before next Thursday's deadline for Champions League registration.
Wenger and Dein believe Sagnol is a transfer target who could match their captain's ambition. The champions approached Bayern with a view to a transfer prior to Euro 2004, but were stung by the £6 million fee quoted by the Bundesliga side.
Bayern, desperate to raise transfer funds, have revised their demands after failing to sell Owen Hargreaves or Michael Ballack and would be receptive to another Arsenal approach.
Vieira will also be concerned at the Achilles injury that looks likely to keep centre back Sol Campbell out of the Austria tour and the Amsterdam tournament, to which Arsenal head on Thursday. Even if Campbell returns to training while Arsenal are in Amsterdam he will have missed vital fitness sessions before the start of the season.
However, his problems may, indirectly, be a boon to Arsenal, who have been frustrated by interest in their England international from Juventus and Chelsea.
The 29-year-old only reported back to club duty on Saturday after an extended holiday in the wake of Euro 2004.
Meanwhile, former Arsenal winger Marc Overmars has announced his retirement from soccer. Speaking in Barcelona, where he has played since 2000, the Dutch international revealed a persistent knee injury had forced him to call it a day.
"My future as a footballer ends today," he said. "My knee has caused me lots of problems and I can no longer continue to play at the level that I want."
