Adrian Bevington told Russia's sports.ru website that the issue was being discussed and that it could take up to three days for a decision to be reached. He also said that the odds of the 27-year-old Zenit St. Petersburg forward becoming an Arsenal player were "50-50."
The transfer window closed at 17:00 GMT on Monday without any definite news on protracted talks between Arsenal and Zenit. The Russian club's press officer then told Radio Zenit that the deal was off, only for Zenit general director Maxim Mitrofanov to insist that talks were continuing. Media reports then said that a deal had been clinched to make Arshavin an Arsenal player until June 2012.
However, in line with a Premier League ruling on the transfer deadline extension, the clubs must now prove that the snowstorms that paralyzed much of Britain on Monday prevented the deal going through on time.
If the deal is confirmed, the Russian playmaker could make his debut for Arsenal this weekend against Tottenham Hotspur and his only compatriot in the English Premier League. Roman Pavlyuchenko has scored 12 goals for in 26 games since signing from Spartak Moscow in the summer.
"People ask me about Arshavin every day! I can't bear to hear it anymore!" Pavlyuchenko told Sovetski Sport on Monday, adding that he had already given up following the ins and outs of one of soccer's most torturous transfer sagas.
