Barca line up £20million bid for Arsenal's Russian target Arshavin

The 27-year-old has emerged as one of the most coveted players in Europe following two fine performances at Euro 2008, where tonight he will carry Russia’s hopes in their semi-final against Spain.

Although a host of Premier League clubs have been linked with Arshavin — including Arsenal and Chelsea — the player is a lifelong fan of Barcelona and admitted moving to the Nou Camp would be a 'dream'.

Having a ball: Andrei Arshavin prepares for Russia's semi-final against Spain.

Barcelona vice-president Ferran Soriano revealed they had been tracking Arshavin since the early rounds of the UEFA Cup which the Russian star’s club won.

'We have been following him with discretion for a few months now,' said Soriano.

'We were under the impression that he played in midfield. But now we have seen that
in big games, with his national team at the Euro, he can play on the flank. That’s dispelled any doubt and this is the profile of a player we would like.'

An advisor to Zenit’s sporting director Konstantin Sarsaniya confirmed that Barcelona
hadmade a formal approach for Arshavin, and the player’s agent Dennis Lachter said: 'It’s time for Andriy to look for new challenges, and this is a great opportunity for him.'

Arshavin will be out to show that speculation about his future won’t affect his performance in Vienna tonight after missing Russia’s opening 4-1 group defeat against Luis Aragones’s men through suspension.

But Aragones is also the centre of attention after Fenerbahce announced he is to be their new boss once Euro 2008 is over.

The fractious 69-year-old coach claimed he wasn’t behind the unhelpful timing of the
revelation and added: 'I haven’t signed anything for anybody.'

Many Spanish fans, on the eve of their country’s biggest match for nearly a quarter of a century, believe it’s already a done deal, however, and feel their team has reached the semi-finals despite Aragones — not because of him.

They also claim the Istanbul club’s announcement was part of a Turkish plot to destabilise them before Sunday’s final - a pointless one in light of last night’s other semi-final result.

Yet as Arsene Wenger noted when asked whether news of Chelsea’s capture of Luiz Felipe Scolari might have contributed to Portugal’s downfall:

'News like that can’t give something to a team, it can only take something away.'

Aragones, the oldest manager ever to lead a team into the last four, boomed: 'It won’t
affect my team whatsoever.'

And Tottenham boss Juande Ramos was quick to back him.

'I think we should recognise his courage and how he’s responsible for the team’s success,' said his compatriot.