Arshavin Transfer Saga/Betrayal of Mother Russia Drags On...

The English Premier League's January transfer window is creaking shut this week. With the coffers of Premiership clubs and their billionaire sugar daddies having been affected by the latest global economic crisis, January has been much less of the event the media have tried to make of it. Indeed, the biggest story of this transfer window has to do with a move that didn't go through.

Man City reportedly offered $100m for this pie

One of the pastries that's been sitting in the transfer window long enough to have gone more than a little cold is Andrei Arshavin. Ever since his commanding performances at Euro 2008, where he made Sweden look their age and booted the much-fancied Dutch squad out of the party, there's been endless talk about Arshavin moving from Zenit St. Petersburg to one of the bigger European clubs, the most recent club in the picture being Arsenal.

The latest news about the saga revolves around Arshavin's "personal demands" which, depending on who you listen to, are either putting the entire transfer in jeopardy, or simply represent a minor quibble in an already done deal.

Groan.

Truth be told, Arshavin is a great footballer, but it was really the partnership between him and Roman Pavlyuchencko that lit up the Euros... a simple but elegant relationship of good service and clinical finishing. Now it seems that half of that pairing is headed to the Gunners, with the other half plying his trade at arch-rivals Spurs. Oh the irony of it all.

Of course, Arshavin was at one point last year supposed to be destined for Spurs himself, a rumor that apparently prompted much consternation in Russia and a stern rebuke from the Communists of the Leningrad/St Petersburg region:

"The behavior of Arshavin causes all communists and patriots to feel shame and disgust," the group's statement said, accusing the forward of "displaying for sale his body for many months in front of covetous Western clubs

"You have not yet lost all your morals, but you are half a step away. [If you join] Tottenham, or any other side, you will lose your spiritual connection with Mother Russia, and the Russian people will never forgive you. Zenit will survive without you, but can you survive without Leningrad, without your homeland?"

You really can't beat those Stalinists when it comes to ultra-nationalist hyperbole. Incidentally, had that deal gone through, it would have meant that Spurs had brought in Arshavin, Pavlyuchenko, Modric, and Corluka in quick succession... someone at that club was obviously watching the Euro 2008 highlights!

In any case, as a Leicester City supporter, I'm still teary-eyed at the sight of Martin O'Neill and Emile Heskey being reunited, even if it is at Aston Villa. Premiership transfers are indeed of particular interest to Leicester fans this season, with last year's big mover-shaker Robinho looking set to square off against the Foxes in the Championship come August.