Arsenal set to scupper Liverpool's Malouda bid
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premiership/article2621481.ece
Arsenal are planning to hijack Liverpool's bid to sign Florent
Malouda because the France international's move to Anfield has
stalled over personal terms.
Talks are expected to take place as early as tomorrow over a 15m
(£10.2m) move from the French champions Lyon to Arsenal. Malouda,
who was on international duty with France last night as they played
their European Championship qualifier against Georgia, is then set
to take a week's holiday before deciding his future.
There is also interest in the 26-year-old from Spain and Italy
although the likelihood is he will move to England. Liverpool's
manager, Rafael Benitez, wanted to make Malouda the first of his
major signings this summer and there is a growing frustration from
the Spaniard that nothing has been secured. The longer the delay,
according to sources close to the player, the greater the chance he
may go elsewhere.
That warning has alerted Arsenal who have now stepped in to
register their interest in the left-winger, who was a key member of
the French side that reached last year's World Cup final. He was
recently voted the players' player of the year in France after
helping Lyon to their sixth consecutive league title and scoring 10
goals in 27 league starts.
Arsenal have decided against a move for the Ajax winger Ryan Babel
after considering bidding for the Dutch international in January.
Although he would cost less than Malouda, Arsenal's manager, Arsène
Wenger is unsure that Babel is of the highest standard. At the same
time Arsenal's interest in Franck Ribéry is set to end with the
Marseilles winger expected to complete a 25m (£17m) move to Bayern
Munich today. Liverpool, meanwhile, will hope that Marseilles will
use some of that cash to sign Djibril Cissépermanently.
If Malouda does arrive at the Emirates Stadium, it will be
intriguing to see where he fits into Wenger's plans and what it
means for Alexander Hleb and Tomas Rosicky. It also heightens the
chances of Fredrik Ljungberg, who has been told he can go, leaving
the club on a free transfer. Wenger himself will conduct the
negotiations with Malouda if the deal goes ahead and his strong
relationship with the out-going Lyon coach Gérard Houllier may be
an advantage.
Despite signing a contract extension until 2011 last summer,
Malouda announced several weeks ago that he wanted to leave Lyon
with the club's president, Jean-Michel Aulas, setting a deadline of
the end of June.
He wants to avoid the disruption caused at his club when Michael
Essien was sold. The Ghanaian moved to Chelsea and their striker
Didier Drogba said earlier this week that he would like to see
Malouda move to Stamford Bridge. The two played together at the
French club Guingamp and remain close friends.
