striker Nicklas Bendtner has warned Zlatan Ibrahimovic he intends to become the pin-up of Scandinavian football within three years - then become the best in the world.

Denmark forward Bendtner struggles to hold down a regular place at The Emirates while Swede Ibrahimovic helped Inter to the Serie A title this season - and was also the top scorer in Italy.

But this has not deterred Bendtner, who at 21 believes he has nowhere near reached his peak while insisting it's all downhill from here for 27-year Ibrahimovic.

The Gunners star said: 'In about three years, I will be better than Zlatan. He is older than me and has now reached his peak as the top scorer in Serie A - but I have a plan, I believe in it and I am ready.

'Next season, I can finally make my breakthrough and then I still have two years to become better than Zlatan – and I will.

'By then I will be close to my peak and will be able to look upon myself as one of the world’s greatest strikers.'

Arsene Wenger does not need to sell Emmanuel Adebayor or any of his young Gunners.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is constantly linked with Barcelona but Wenger is under no pressure to generate cash for new recruits.

He said: 'We do not have to sell because we have a balanced budget. I believe that what is important at this stage is to keep the players you have.

'People think it is a disaster to get to the semi-finals of the Champions League and the FA Cup while finishing fourth. OK, you can do better but if that is a disaster, then the future of the club is very promising.

'Legacy is about leaving the club in every aspect that is important in a good situation. It means you leave a good squad with good young players, a good financial situation and a good structure.

'What is the most important is that the club continues to improve and the state of our club is fantastic.'

Wenger prefers top take a glass-half-full look at Arsenal's achievements in recent years.

He said: 'People say we have not won anything since 2005 which is true but it's how you present it. We were in the Champions League final in 2006, the quarter-finals in 2008 and the semi-finals in 2009. We nearly won the league last year too, so although we haven't won anything it is not as if we haven't been competing at the top level.'

According to a report in German newspaper Bild, English powerhouse Arsenal are closely monitoring the situation of Werder Bremen's highly-rated youngster Mesut Oezil.

The 20-year-old midfielder joined his current team from Schalke in January 2008 for a fee €4.5 million and has quickly developed into an important first-team member at the Hanseaten.

Oezil has made 28 league appearances this campaign for Werder, scoring three goals, and capped his outstanding season with the winning goal in the DFB Pokal final against Bayer Leverkusen.

However, Arsenal face stiff competition in the race to secure Oezil's signature. Valencia, Juventus and the inevitable Manchester City are also keeping tabs on the left-footed playmaker.

The former Schalke starlet's current Werder deal is due to expire in 2011, but the North German outfit are keen to hold on to Oezil and have offered him an improved deal expiring in 2014.

Stefan Coerts, Goal.com

Lille starlet Eden Hazard has revealed that he would like to play for either Premier League outfit Arsenal or Primera Division giants Real Madrid at some point in the future.

The 18-year-old is regarded as one of Europe's most promising talents and has already won four full international caps for Belgium.

The 5ft 7in attacking midfielder has already been linked with a move to a host of European giants, including Barcelona, Chelsea and Inter, but he insists he wants to win a regular berth in les Dogues' starting XI before leaving France.

"This was my first season as a pro," Hazard told De Standaard.

"I’ve scored and have been playing more than I’d expected. I hope it continues.

"Next year, I have to play in every game. That is my aim – to become an undisputed first-team player at Lille.

"I have a three-year contract and feel that I have a lot to learn in Lille.

"The situation could only change if a club offers €30 million (£26.5m) and Lille were unable to refuse, but for now I ask all the clubs interested to respect my decision: I want another year to develop at Lille.

"After that, we will see."

When asked whether he has any preferences of where he might like to play his football in the future, he replied, "Real Madrid and Arsenal are the clubs I dreamed of joining as a child.

"If I joined Inter or Barcelona and could play football there then that would be very good, but Real and Arsenal are really great and play at a very high technical level."

Legendary French midfielder Zinedine Zidane is reported to have recommended the youngster to los Blancos, much to the Hazard's delight.

"That was great, Zidane is my idol – the greatest footballer of his generation," Hazard added.

"If someone like that praises you, it is heart-warming. It moved me.

"I must repeat that it is too early to move. In one or two years I will maybe make the next step.

"What’s more, Lille play European football, which is also a good opportunity for me. Getting minutes on the field is what counts from my perspective right now."

Ricky Brooks, Goal.com

Andrey Arshavin has refused to give credence to the growing rumours that he is set to leave Arsenal after just five months with the north London outfit.

The playmaking forward, who was the Gunners' most productive asset in the second half of the season due to his eye for an assist and his willingness to strike, was linked with a return to former club Zenit St. Petersburg after it became public knowledge that he was training with the Russian Premier League side.

Such was his swift adaption to life in England, he has furthermore been linked with a move to Barcelona, although these reports have been construed as nothing but conjecture.

He told Sport Express, "I do not consider it necessary to comment on [the rumours]. It is just not a topic for conversation.

"I spent a week in St. Petersburg training with my former club, Zenit. Everybody was quite kind to me. I cannot say that I communicated a lot with anyone, just a bit with everybody.

"I hope that training at my former club will be useful. In any case, it was better than a week of doing nothing. I don’t think that the attitude of people in St. Petersburg has changed since I left. As far as I can see, they like me equally, even though I am playing in a different team now."

When probed as to which players he could foresee carving a successful career in the Premier League, Arshavin recommended Igor Akinfeev to Manchester United as a replacement for ageing Edwin van der Sar, and also right-back Aleksandr Anyukov to Rafael Benitez.

"Given that Van der Sar will not be around forever, Ferguson is most in need of a goalkeeper. I therefore advise him to sign Akinfeev,” Arshavin asserted. “And Liverpool? Perhaps Anyukov."

Alan Dawson, Goal.com