Zenit St Petersburg are launching a bid to re-sign Arsenal flop Andrey Arshavin.

The Daily Star says the club who sold him to Arsenal three years ago for £15m are now ready to pay £8m to take him back. Arshavin has already told pals he is going back to Russia at the end of the season.

He has just one more full year left on his contract and boss Arsene Wenger has made no attempt to extend it.

Unlike in the Premier League, Arshavin, 30, remains idolised in his homeland and this month was named Russia's athlete of the year for the fourth time in a row.

But the departure of the playmaker will be no great loss to the Gunners.