Andrei Arshavin, the Russia playmaker, could finally be on his way to Tottenham Hotspur after Zenit St Petersburg agreed to lower their £20 million asking price. Arshavin, who is keen to move to London, has been left out of the Zenit squad for the match against Krylya Sovetov Samara this weekend.

Zenit need the money to buy players before the transfer window closes on September 1, but are worried that Tottenham have lost interest in the 27-year-old. However, Dick Advocaat, the Zenit coach, seems confident that a deal will go through.

“The transfer period is yet to finish and things can still change,” Advocaat said. “Last year we sold Martin Skrtel to Liverpool for £10 million, and now probably Arshavin will go to Spurs.”

Roque Santa Cruz, the Paraguay striker, has ended speculation about his future by signing a new four-year contract with Blackburn Rovers. The 27-year-old has been the subject of failed bids from Aston Villa and Manchester City this summer. The new deal will tie him to Blackburn until June 2012 and his wages will rise to around £60,000 a week.

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Santa Cruz has been a huge hit since arriving at Ewood Park from Bayern Munich for £3.8 million last summer and scored 23 goals in all competitions. The forward is thought to have been keen to repay the faith Blackburn showed by signing him from Bayern, despite his poor injury record, while the arrival of his 18-year-old brother, Julio, at the club was another reason to stay.

West Bromwich Albion have signed Borja Valero, the Spanish midfield player, from Real Mallorca for a club-record fee of £4.7 million.

Shaun Maloney has returned to Celtic from Aston Villa in a deal that could rise to £2.5 million. The midfield player moved in the opposite direction 18 months ago for £1 million.

Decent bets

Everton are in pole position to sign Nikola Zigic, the Serbia forward, from Valencia. Zigic was available only on a permanent transfer but his club are now willing to let him go out on loan.

Daniel Arismendi, the Union Atletico Maracaibo and Venezuela striker, has arrived in England for talks with Wigan Athletic.

Long shots

Philippe Senderos’s father has claimed that Newcastle United and AC Milan are trying to sign the Arsenal defender. “If his dad is right, he’s got two tremendous clubs to choose from,” Kevin Keegan, the Newcastle manager, said. “We need another defender.”

Arsenal are not interested in signing Gareth Barry, according to Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager.

One of Thiago Neves’s representatives has said that Manchester City are to sign the Brazil midfield player from Fluminense. Neves is said to have caught the eye while playing for his country in the Olympic Games.