PLAYER PROFILE

Andrey Arshavin

Position: Forward

Height: 5'8

Weight: 10st 12lbs

Date of Birth: 1981-05-29 St Petersburg, Russia

Andrey Arshavin

Andrey Arshavin began his career at Zenit St Petersburg in 1999. He played for the Russian side's farm club Zenit-2 for the first few months of his career, but was soon in the Zenit first team, making his debut in England against Bradford in an Intertoto Cup tie in August 2000.

A versitile player, Arshavin has taken up roles on the right of midfielder and has also played as an attacking midfielder before finally settling on a second striker's role, playing just behind a target man.

This proved a hugely successful policy in the 2007 Russian season, in which Zenit won the league title. Arshavin started all 30 matches, scored 10 goals and provided 11 assists. He also helped them to European success as they beat Rangers in the 2008 UEFA Cup final.

This fine form continued into the international scene. Despite missing the first two games of the tournament through suspension, Arshavin proved a hugely influential member of the Russia team in Euro 2008, scoring two goals and setting up another two.

Russia were comfortably beaten 3-0 by eventual champions Spain in the final, but Arshavin had impressed enough to earn a place in UEFA's Team of the Tournament.

He also impressed a host of prestige clubs across Europe, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Barcelona among them. However, Zenit were unwilling to lower their high asking price for the player and he remained in Russia for the rest of the year.

Arsenal became interested in January 2009 though and after a month of protracted negotiations, Arshavin finally became a Gunner on February 3rd.

His first half-season at Arsenal proved a success as he played in most games and scored six goals, four of which came in an astonishing 4-4 draw with Liverpool at Anfield in April.