Valbuena rejects Zenit offer

Marseille winger reveals big-money bid

Last updated: 31st July 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Valbuena rejects Zenit offer

Valbuena: Zenit target

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Marseille winger Mathieu Valbuena claims to have turned down a move to Zenit St Petersburg.

The highly-rated 23-year-old has emerged as a target for the Russians as they brace themselves for the possible departure of Andrei Arshavin.

Valbuena maintains that Zenit made him a big-money offer, believed to be in the region of 18million euros (£14.2million).

However, the Frenchman has pledged his future to Marseille after a breakthrough season in Ligue 1.

A statement on the player's personal website read: "Mathieu's agent confirms he has been approached by Zenit St Petersburg, who wanted to secure the services of the Marseille player.

Loyal

"Effectively, the Russian club offered a true fortune to Mathieu and declared they could buy out the contract of the revelation of last year's championship for Marseille, for a colossal sum.

"Mathieu, after talks with (Marseille) coach Eric Gerets, who himself spoke to Zenit counterpart Dick Advocaat, has decided to stay loyal to the club, declaring he wanted to continue wearing the colours of Marseille."

Valbuena is under contract at Marseille until 2013 and he has no plans to leave the club, regardless of who may be interested in the future.

The statement continued: "Mathieu wishes to publicly thank the Russian club's directors, and wants to make it clear that the love he has for the jersey is stronger than any financial considerations, and that he would have taken the same decision if it had been a Spanish, Italian, English or German club interested."

Arshavin has been linked with a number of Europe's top clubs since impressing at Euro 2008 but Tottenham currently appear to be in pole position to sign him.