Gilles Grimandi is expected to become Arsenal's director of football this week as Arsene Wenger moves on from the turbulence of the past three months.
The former Arsenal midfielder's appointment is believed to have been a key topic at the board meeting four days ago during which the €24 million sale (£16m) of Thierry Henry to Barcelona was approved. Grimandi, the Gunners' scout in France, will take on the player-recruitment duties previously performed by David Dein. Nicolas Anelka is believed to head the list of summer targets.
The appointment of the 36-year-old Grimandi would provide Wenger with a key strategic ally and introduce fresh football expertise into a boardroom that has lacked such experience since Dein's departure as vice-chairman in April. It is not thought to be the only announcement due from Arsenal this week, with clarification of Wenger's position also expected.
After Henry used Arsenal's official website on Saturday to reiterate his feeling that Wenger's commitment to the Emirates Stadium was uncertain the club will not permit the drift to persist. There are strong hints of an announcement that the Arsenal manager has signed a €23 million plus, three-year contract extension to 2011. Compelling reports in France suggest Anelka will return in an €16 million (£11m) move from Bolton Wanderers, who would be expected in turn to enlist Djibril Cisse for €10 million (£7m) from Liverpool.
Gilberto Silva will inherit the captain's armband from Henry and there may be a few private sighs of relief in the Arsenal dressing room that the Frenchman has left. Some within the club felt Henry had become a destabilising figure in the self-regarding final months of his stay and the team might find his departure liberating.
The Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has welcomed Thierry Henry to the club but at the same time stressed that he is not about to give up his place in the Barca attack. Henry was due in the Catalan city last night to finalise his move from Arsenal and if all goes well the 29-year-old is expected to be presented as a Barcelona player today.
"For me, the presence of Henry does not worry me. I am not a child any more and I know what I am capable of," Messi he told El Mundo Deportivo.
Samuel Eto'o, meanwhile, said: "I don't see why I should leave the Camp Nou." Regarding his relationship with Ronaldinho, the 26-year-old said: "We are like husband and wife, we fight and we always make up."
Middlesbrough have become the first club to meet Manchester United's €9 million (£6m) valuation for Alan Smith and hope to persuade the England striker to fill the void left by Mark Viduka's departure to Newcastle United.
Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager, is also monitoring Smith's availability, although Preston North End's David Nugent is his primary target. Harry Redknapp is also lining up a bid for Smith.
Darren Bent, is expected to complete a €24 million (£16m) move to Tottenham Hotspur this week.
Sven-Goran Eriksson will have a final round of talks with Thaksin Shinawatra's representatives today about becoming the new manager of Manchester City. Eriksson has spent the weekend mulling over the terms of a three-year contract and there were unconfirmed reports from Sweden last night that he would fly to London this morning to conclude the negotiations.
City will turn to Mark Hughes, the Blackburn Rovers manager, if Eriksson turns them down but the club have had encouraging feedback so far, and the talks are now so advanced the former England coach is understood to have started identifying transfer targets. Arsenal's Freddie Ljungberg is believed to figure prominently. Eriksson is also aware that Michael Owen has a release clause in his contract at Newcastle United, although a move to City is unlikely.
Guardian Service
