Lyon's chairman, Jean-Michel Aulas, yesterday called on Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool to formalise their interest in Florent Malouda. "I'm waiting on a call from an English club so we can sort out a meeting," Aulas said. "The transfer could move forward if there is an offer that comes close to the price I've fixed. On players' values, I seldom get it wrong: today Malouda is [worth] £17m."Of the English clubs monitoring the France winger, Chelsea are the least likely to bid. They would seriously pursue Malouda, the former Guingamp team-mate of Didier Drogba, only if Arjen Robben were to leave; that seems improbable since a five-year contract is currently on the table for the Dutch forward.
Liverpool would consider £17m a steep price and might prefer Benfica's Simao Sabrosa, who is available for £12m. Arsenal would be more tempted to make a move for the 27-year-old. Malouda would constitute one of the players who would satisfy the ambitions of Thierry Henry and the Arsenal captain has refused to commit his future to the Emirates Stadium until he has assessed any new signings.
Henry has expressed doubts about the club's transfer-market clout in the absence of their departed former chief negotiator, David Dein. Those doubts were exacerbated by his international team-mate Franck Ribéry's £17m move from Marseille to Bayern Munich last week.
In any event, Arsenal must begin to prepare their contingencies for life after Henry. Barcelona and Milan have made their interest in the striker known but no offer has been forthcoming from either club, both of whom are waiting for the end of the Spanish league season.
