One long-running Arsenal transfer saga is close to its conclusion, with Barcelona apparently having won the race to sign Alexander Hleb, but the future of Emmanuel Adebayor is still undecided. Hleb is expected to undergo a medical in Spain this week. The 27-year-old, signed from VfB Stuttgart for £11.2 million in 2005, had also been linked with Inter Milan and Bayern Munich since expressing a desire to leave at the end of last season.

“I'm unhappy with life in England,” the Belarus midfield player said at the time. “Everyone races around all day and I can't get used to it. I'm tired and I'm uncomfortable.”

As with Hleb, Adebayor wants a substantial pay rise. He earns about £35,000 a week with Arsenal, who are willing to increase that figure, but not to the levels that the Togo striker could expect from suitors such as AC Milan and Barcelona. Arsenal have valued Adebayor at about £35 million, the inflated figure apparently designed to deter interested clubs.

Without income from Champions League football next season, Milan, who are also interested in signing Ronaldinho from Barcelona, are likely to find the asking price too high. Adriano Galliani, the Milan vice-

president, said the club would not sign Adebayor and Ronaldinho, although they are keen to take back Andriy Shevchenko from Chelsea.

Bacary Sagna, the Arsenal full back, hopes that Adebayor will stay. “Hleb's departure is a pity, but I'm not worried,” he said. “Samir [Nasri, the Marseilles midfield player] should arrive soon and there are young players knocking at the door. Certainly, if Emmanuel was to leave, it'd be a massive loss. But we're not there yet.”