Source: Telegraph
Arsenal target Marouane Chamakh says joining club a 'priority'
Arsenal have already had one bid of around £7 million rejected and, while Arsene Wenger is likely to make a second offer, he regards Bordeaux's initial asking price of almost £15 million is far too high.
Wenger has pointed to the fact that Chamakh has only one year remaining on his contract, while the player is clearly pushing for the move and unhappy that Bordeaux have not already sanctioned a deal.
Increasingly, it looks likely to drag until towards the end of the January transfer window. As well as Chamakh, Arsenal are likely to buy another defender and, although Wenger is assessing Fulham's Brede Hangeland, he is yet to make any inquiry.
"My priority is Arsenal, but there are other clubs,' said Chamakh. 'If it's Arsenal, so much the better. I am not sleeping as well as I normally do. I made my wish known to the directors at the end of last season. I expressed a wish to join another league.
"I hope things will be sorted out, and that they will be sorted out very quickly. As much for Bordeaux's sake as for mine, my situation has to be clarified. I thought they (Bordeaux) would have made things easier for me.'
Arsenal were beaten 2-0 by Valencia on Saturday, with new £10 million signing Thomas Vermaelen again absent due to the same hamstring injury that ruled him out of last week's Emirates Cup competition.
