Arsenal moved to the head of the queue to sign Sol Campbell last night after the central defender confirmed he will leave Tottenham on a free transfer. Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger, who was in Monaco with Campbell for yesterday's grand prix, is a big admirer of the 26year-old and hopes the combination of Champions League football and the opportunity to stay in London will convince Campbell to move to Highbury.
Campbell is understood to have held talks with Arsenal and must decide whether he is willing to switch to Spurs' greatest rivals. The move would satisfy his desire to play in "the major European club competitions sooner rather than later", which he sighted as his reason for leaving White Hart Lane.
With Tony Adams planning to retire at the end of next season and Martin Keown almost 35, Wenger's need for a top-quality centre-back is plain. However Manchester United and Liverpool are also interested, and Campbell could choose to move abroad, with Barcelona and Internazionale among his options.
Tottenham admitted defeat in their attempt to keep Campbell on Saturday night, saying his demands, which included £128,000 (sterling) a week, were "unacceptable" and inflexible.
"Campbell has demanded a £20 million three-year deal including a clause that he can walk away from the club as a free agent if we fail to achieve a Champions League place by the end of next season," the club said. Spurs had offered £80,000 a week, the Premiership's biggest contract. Campbell said leaving the club he joined as a trainee in 1991 was the "hardest decision" of his career and was based "purely on football" as he sought regular European action at his peak.
Spurs suggested finance was the crucial aspect and expressed disappointment that the matter was "not resolved six months ago when Sol Campbell stated his decision was not about money".
The loss of Campbell overshadowed the arrival of Teddy Sheringham on a free transfer from Manchester United, from whom Tottenham also hope to sign striker Jonathan Greening.
At Old Trafford, Alex Ferguson plans to increase his French contingent with the arrival of three high-profile summer signings - Patrick Vieira from Arsenal, Bixente Lizarazu from Bayern Munich and a remarkable return for Eric Cantona.
Ferguson expects to conclude the £7 million signing of the 31-year-old Lizarazu within the next week and has confirmed his interest in a British record £24 million offer for Vieira.
Four years after retiring, Cantona is mulling over an offer to work part-time with the United youth team, and the indications yesterday were that he was close to accepting the coaching position.
Ferguson admitted to making unsuccessful attempts to sign Zinedine Zidane from Juventus and clearly believes that, despite his differences with the board, he has their backing to continue spending.
Arsenal will try to prevent Vieira joining United but Ferguson, who said he had not yet made an official offer, is encouraged by reports that Vieira is unsettled. Talks are under way with Vieira's advisers.
The arrival of Lizarazu is likely to precipitate the departure of United's longestserving player, Denis Irwin.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich captain Stefan Effenberg wants a move to England or America after Wednesday's Champions League victory completed his ambitions with the Bavarians. "I came to Bayern in 1998 with the aim of winning as much silverware as possible, above all this cursed Champions League, and now that I've achieved that I can't see any reason to stay beyond the end of my contract that ends next year," the 32-yearold playmaker said. "My next contract will be my last one and if I had to decide today where that would be I'd choose England, London in fact," added Effenberg. Bayern's Brazilian striker Giovane Elber has also said he would like a move away from Bavaria for similar reasons.
Chelsea have tabled an offer for Barcelona's French midfielder Emmanuel Petit. Other clubs reportedly interested in Petit include former club Arsenal, Fulham and French sides Lyon and Monaco.
Premiership High Rollers
Roy Keane (Man Utd) - £52,000
Andy Cole (Man Utd) - £50,000
Ryan Giggs (Man Utd) - £50,000
Alan Shearer (Newcastle) - £40,000
David Ginola (Aston Villa) - £40,000
Marcel Desailly (Chelsea) - £40,000
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Chelsea) - £35,000
Thierry Henry (Arsenal) - £35,000
Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal) - £35,000
Jaap Stam (Man Utd) - £35,000
Robbie Fowler (Liverpool) - £35,000
Michael Owen is believed to be negotiating a new £60,000-a-week contract at Liverpool while Middlesbrough have always denied reports that Alen Boksic earns just over that mark.
