Gunners fail with defender bid

Arsenal try for Zapata

By Graeme Bailey   Last updated: 4th June 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Gunners fail with defender bid

Zapata: Gunners target

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Arsenal are reported to have failed with a 12million euros (£9.5million) bid for Cristian Zapata.

The Udinese starlet is one of the most highly-rated young defenders in Europe and he is being tipped to move on this summer.

The 21-year-old Colombian joined the Bianconeri in 2005 from Deportivo Cali and he has been a regular for them over the past three seasons.

Milan, Juventus, Internazionale and Fiorentina are all keen - but Arsene Wenger is also very much in the market to land the young central defender.

Arsenal are believed to have made their interest known with a deal just below £10million - but that is still someway short of meeting Udinese's valuation.

Zapata has four-years left on his contract at the Friuli and it is believed the club would only consider a deal starting at 20 million euros (£15.8million).

It now remains to be seen whether Arsenal will make a renewed attempt to land the South America - although skysports.com also understands that two further Premier League sides are considering making bids.