Andrei Arshavin is so desperate to move to Arsenal that he has been praying that Zenit St Petersburg will let him leave Russia and move to London. The Russia forward has been Arsenal’s No 1 target this month, but he has been left in limbo while the clubs haggle over the price. Arsenal value Arshavin at about £12 million, while Zenit believe that he is worth closer to £18 million. With time running out before the transfer window closes next month, Arshavin has begged Zenit to lower their asking price.

“My hopes now rest with God. Apart from him, nobody can help me,” Arshavin, 27, said. “I see Arsenal as my team of the future. Everything now depends on Zenit. If they want to sell me, they can do it very quickly.”

Arsenal are believed to have told Zenit that they will walk away unless a deal is done by Monday and the Russian club have indicated that they are willing to reach a compromise, while touting the player to Inter Milan and Manchester City through third parties.

“My intentions to leave the club have not changed since the summer,” Arshavin said. “It is obvious that in these times of crisis, no one will offer such a big amount.

“Zenit have to think realistically. I believe that Arsenal’s offer is much closer to my real value in the transfer market at the moment.”

Decent bets

Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, has persuaded Steve Gibson, the chairman, to spend £2 million on Ben Watson, the Crystal Palace midfield player. Southgate feared that he would have no money to spend during the transfer window, but Gibson has agreed to find the funds.

Gibson, alarmed by Middlesbrough’s failure to win any of their past ten matches in the Barclays Premier League, sanctioned the deal after talks with Simon Jordan, the Palace chairman. “They have agreed the fee,” Neil Warnock, the Palace manager, said. “It’s not a foregone conclusion yet because Ben still has to agree personal terms.”

West Ham United and Fulham are also believed to be interested in signing the player.

Southgate is in talks with Wigan Athletic to end Mido’s stay at Middlesbrough, where the Egypt forward has made only 23 appearances in 17 months. Wigan are poised to become his ninth club, with Marlon King going in the opposite direction. King has been on loan at Hull City this season, but he looked destined to return to Wigan after reacting angrily when he was not named in the Hull team who lost 3-1 at home to Arsenal last Saturday.

Celtic will have another look at Morten Nielsen before deciding whether to sign the 18-year-old forward from Chelsea. “He had a couple of days’ trial last week,” Neil Lennon, the Celtic coach, said. “But he will be up for a few more days before we make a decision.”

Carlo Cudicini trained with the Chelsea first-team squad yesterday, despite speculation that the Italian goalkeeper is the subject of a £1 million bid from Tottenham Hotspur, with Manchester City also said to be battling for his signature.

Dead certs

Darren Powell has left Derby County after the Coca-Cola Championship club decided against offering him a new contract. The 32-year-old defender was signed on a short-term deal by Paul Jewell, the former manager, in November.

Milton Keynes Dons and Barnet have extended the respective loan signings of Jason Puncheon, the Plymouth Argyle winger, and Abu Ogogo, the Arsenal right back, until the end of the season.

Long shots

Inter Milan have denied receiving an offer from Tottenham for Marco Materazzi, 35, the Italy World Cup-winning defender. The centre half has also been linked with Portsmouth and Manchester City.