Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh is so desperate to join Arsenal that he is losing sleep over the move, which has stalled becuse the English Premier League club is refusing to meet the French team's asking price.
Bordeaux has already turned down an offer of about $10.8 million from Arsenal for Chamakh, and so far has refused to sell him to other English Premier league teams such as Sunderland, Fulham and Tottenham.
"My priority is Arsenal, but there are other clubs. If it's Arsenal, so much the better," Chamakh said on Canal Plus television ahead of defending champion Bordeaux's opening match at home to Lens on Sunday. "I am not sleeping as well as I normally do. I made my wishes known to the directors at the end of last season. I expressed a wish to join another league."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was reluctant to meet Bordeaux's initial asking price of $21.6 million because the 25-year-old Morocco forward only has one year remaining on his contract.
"I hope things will be sorted out, and that they will be sorted out very quickly. As much for Bordeaux's sake as for mine, my situation has to be clarified," Chamakh said. "I thought they (Bordeaux) would have made things easier for me."
Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc does not want to lose Chamakh as he considers him crucial to Bordeaux's title defense.
He scored 13 league goals last season and grabbed Bordeaux's third goal Sunday in the 4-1 win against Lens. After the match, Chamakh reiterated his desire to leave and urged Bordeaux's directors to "change their minds" and let him go.
Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud said on Wednesday that he could grant Chamakh his dream move to Arsenal if Wenger comes back with a better offer. Triaud accepted he would lower his initial asking price, but did not say by how much.
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