Franck Ribery prefers Arsenal to Chelsea

It appears Arsenal have the edge over rivals Chelsea in the race to sign French star Franck Ribery. The 26-year-old is keen to leave Bayern Munich and Chelsea are even keener to bring the maestro to Stamford Bridge  - with club owner Roman Abramovich reportedly prepared to make Ribery the Premier League's best-paid player with a £200,000-a-week salary.

But according to the Daily Mail, Abramovich will not be pleased to hear the France winger giving "a ringing endorsement to London rivals Arsenal". Asked if he was tempted by Chelsea's huge wage offer, Ribery says: "Money plays no role in my considerations. I have a very good living, earning good money."

There is said to be a high level of mutual respect between Ribery and his compatriot, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, and the gifted player has made no secret of his passion for the Premier League and his disappointment with the lack of success he has met at Bayern. "I would like to win the Champions League," Ribery is quoted as saying: "but our team probably does not have the quality. Right now, we cannot compete with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal or Inter Milan." A pointed reference that is sure to go down like a John Terry penalty miss with a certain rich Russian.

If Ribery does go to the Emirates Stadium he might have a big influence on the Gunners' teenage sensation Jack Wilshere, though not before the 17-year-old has had a loan spell at Burnley. A report in the Daily Mirror says that Burnley boss Owen Coyle made "a cheeky move" for Arsenal whizzkid Wilshere before the sides met in midweek at Turf Moor in a game that ended all square at 1-1.

Coyle has long been an admirer of Wilshire, who turns 18 on New Year's Day, and he's a player who is within his budget when the transfer window opens next month. The Mirror says that Coyle "wished Wenger all the best before kick-off and would not let him go while he put his case to sign Wilshere and help with his football education". Coyle and Wenger are due to speak again next week following the unusual sales pitch from Burnley's ambitious young boss.
 
Meanwhile Arsenal's north London rivals Spurs have made an £8m move to sign West Ham's England defender Matthew Upson, according to the Mirror. With West Ham mired in debt, Harry Redknapp is hopeful he can get Upson at a cut-price rate, even using David Bentley and Alan Hutton as sweeteners for the Hammers.
 
The Mirror says Redknapp is desperate to strengthen his central defence with long-term injury doubts over Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate and the Spurs boss is confident he'll beat off Manchester City's bid to sign the 30-year-old Upson. ·