Source: Daily_Mail
Spurs and Arsenal on alert as hot shot Pandev can leave Lazio for nothing
Arrivederci: Goran Pandev can leave Lazio[LNB]Goran Pandev has won the battle to have his Lazio contract torn up, sparking a Europe-wide clamour to sign a striker who was valued at more than £15million during the summer.[LNB]Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur could now go head-to-head for the Macedonia international, who has been in dispute with his club since the summer.[LNB]The Italian League's contract dispute resolution chamber has ordered Pandev's release, though Lazio president Claudio Lotito insists he will not give up the fight over a player whose contract runs to the end of the season. [LNB]The Gunners, Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea and West Ham United were all linkedto the 26-year-old in the summer, though Inter Milan are thought to bethe favourites to sign him.[LNB]Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits heis in the market for a striker if the right player comes along andPandev has the benefit of not being cup-tied for the Champions League.[LNB]Spursboss Harry Redknapp has tracked the striker for more than two years andonce tried to take him to Portsmouth, though he is unlikely to make anapproach till he can find a buyer for unhappy Russian RomanPavlyuchenko.[LNB] Coincidentally, Zenit St Petersburg, the team showing the most determination to sign Pavlyuchenko, could instead move for Pandev after probing his availability in the summer. Roma and Juventus are also interested.[LNB] Perfect 10: Pandev celebrates scoring for Macedonia against Spain[LNB]The player's lawyer Mattia Grassani said: 'Pandev's appeal to the Italian League's arbitration board was welcomed and they said we were in the right.[LNB]'So Goran's contract has been resolved and the club have been ordered to pay 160,000 euros (£143,000) in punitive damages as well as the legal costs.[LNB]'There are eight pages of reasoning (in the copy of the sentence) and now I'll read it calmly.'[LNB]Pandev has been at Lazio since 2004 and quickly became a firm fans' favourite at the Olympic Stadium.[LNB]However, matters turned sour last summer when Lazio revealed that they would not accept a bid of less than £17m for Pandev after he filed a transfer request.[LNB]The Macedonian was branded a 'rebel' by president Lotito and frozen out of the squad, as well as being forced to train separately from his former team-mates. [LNB]Following the judgement, Lotito said: 'I'm calm. I can only say that it doesn't end here.[LNB]'I have already showed people that I don't give up. It doesn't end here. We'll see then who wins.'[LNB] TRANSFER WINDOW GUIDE: The lowdown on every club as Manchester United throw the January window open with £9m bid for star Benfica winger Angel Di Maria Bassong boost for Redknapp as Spurs star is left out of Cameroon squadArsenal and Hull hit with FA charge over their mass brawl at the EmiratesA trophy for Wenger, a fit player for Moyes, waterwings for Martinez, no Man Ure for Rafa and beach balls for Bruce - the Premier League Christmas wishlistARSENAL FC
