Arsenal Set to Release Midfielder on Free Transfer - Report

Arsenal will reportedly allow midfielder Andrei Arshavin to leave on a free transfer, before the end of the Russian transfer window (on Thursday, 6 September), if there is interest in the player. As of now, Dynamo Moscow are understood to be keen on signing the 31 year old and there is even talk of interest from CSKA Moscow.

Arshavin came to Arsenal in 2009, for a club record £15m but the Russian international has long been out of favour at the Emirates and spent the second half of last season on loan with former club Zenit St Petersburg. There were reports the Russian giants were interested in re-signing their former star, after he impressed coach Luciano Spalletti but little seems to have developed from that direction. Additionally, since the champions have already announced the signing of Brazilian forward Hulk and Belgian midfielder Alex Witsel, they are unlikely to make any further transfers. Furthermore, Arshavin's wages at Arsenal (reportedly £70,000 per week) could be another stumbling block.

The player has been omitted from the Russian squad for the forthcoming 2014 World Cup qualifiers and has stressed his determination to perform well at club level and force national team coach Fabio Capello into selecting him for the future.

Meanwhile, Wenger's 25 man squad for the Champions League includes youngster Serge Gnabry, who had a good pre-season with the first team. Jack Wilshere is expected to return to match fitness soon and should play some part in the club's European campaign but has not been listed because he is a product of the club's youth academy.

The squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczezny, Lukasz Fabianski, Vito Mannone

Defenders: Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny, Andre Santos, Per Mertesacker, Sebastian Squillaci, Johan Djorou, Aaron Ramsey

Midfielders: Abou Diaby, Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Santi Cazorla, Serge Gnabry, Andrei Arshavin

Forwards: Lukas Podolski, Oliver Giroud, Gervinho, Marouane Chamakh

Arsenal have been drawn in Group B, alongside Montpellier of France, Schalke 04 of Germany and Olympiacos of Greece. Their first game is on 18 September, away to Montpellier.