Arsenal victory puts Eden Hazard chase back on track

Hopes are up among Arsenal fans that the Gunners' advance to the group stage of the Champions League will reignite their chances of buying the Lille playmaker Eden Hazard. On the day that Samir Nasri officially signed for Manchester City on a four-year deal, 20-year-old Hazard appeared to suggest he might after all be open to an offer.

Earlier in the week the brilliant young Belgian had apparently ruled out a move from Lille this season. But according to goal.com that might no longer be the case.

The website quotes a source close to Hazard as saying: "Eden has said all along that he won't leave until next year unless the right opportunity comes along. It would need to be a club who can match his ambitions but they are running out of time to get him."

Lille have made plain their reluctance to part with Hazard, rated one of the brightest young talents in Europe. But with Arsene Wenger under instructions from the Arsenal board to spend in the last week before the transfer window closes, a substantial offer in the region of £25m might be enough to change Lille's mind.

And the Gunners' emphatic win over Udinese last night now guarantees Hazard the opportunity to play in the Champions League.

Meanwhile the Metro says that Spanish papers are reporting that Real Madrid defender Raul Albiol might be on his way to Arsenal. The 6ft 3in centre back was a target for the Gunners in 2009 but he chose to leave Valencia for the Bernabeu. Unfortunately, since the arrival of Jose Mourinho, Albiol has fallen out of favour and the Spanish press claim that Arsenal are now going head to head with Valencia for his signature.

As for Nasri, or 'Le Judas' as he's now known in parts of north London, he successfully completed a medical at Manchester City on Wednesday and later posed for photos outside the Sky Blues stadium. Unlike the biblical Judas, who only received 30 pieces of silver for his services, Nasri will be taking home £175,000 a week.

In other news, AC Milan have confirmed that they've signed Alberto Aquilani on loan from Liverpool. The 27-year-old Italy international has had a miserable time of it at Anfield in the last two years but now he's back in his homeland to the delight of Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani.

"We have got a player of great quality," Galliani enthused. It's believed that Liverpool have told the Serie A club that if things work out they can have Aquilani on a permanent basis at the end of the season for a bargain price of £4.5m.

And it's a loan arrangement that has taken former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor to Tottenham from Manchester City. The Togo hitman spent much of last season on loan to Real Madrid, but with the Spanish club unable to afford him and with City not interested in playing him, Adebayor was left twiddling his thumbs at the start of the season.

Now Spurs have stepped in and Adebayor will have a medical today with the club hopeful of completing the paperwork by the weekend: "The Arsenal fans hate Adebayor, so I am sure that will make the Tottenham fans like him," Redknapp said with his customary cheeky grin, adding: "If he comes here and gets goals and plays well, they will love him. If he is useless, they will slaughter him."

Finally, as expected Juan Mata completed his move from Valencia to Chelsea yesterday in a five-year deal said to be in the region of £25m. The midfielder said his decision to choose the Blues over Arsenal and Spurs was down to the presence of compatriot Fernando Torres at the Bridge. "Fernando got me excited about the thought of coming here," said Mata. "He said it would be good for me here and that me and him together could be good." ·