Hleb to cost Arsenal £8m

Arsenal have been told to come back with a bid of £8million for Stuttgart midfielder Aleksander Hleb after having a £4.75m bid rejected.

The German club do not want to sell the Belarus international but after failing to qualify for a place in the Champions League they will accept a high offer for the player.

Arsene Wenger is in Germany at present working for French television during the Confederations Cup and he is ideally placed to talk to the player should a fee be agreed.

The Arsenal boss must also decide about the future of Robert Pires. The French midfield player is currently on holiday in the Caribbean and will resume talks when he reports back early next month.

Pires has one year left on his deal and wants a two-year extension but, in line with their policy regarding players who are over 30, Arsenal have offered only one year.