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Shevchenko went to Milan this summer. Where is Rebrov going? Arsenal and Chelsea are locked in a battle for £12million Ukraine striker Sergei Rebrov. AC Milan and Barcelona are also chasing the Dynamo Kiev star but sources close to the player insist he is destined for the Premiership. Rebrov was first targeted by Arsenal after he scored twice against them in the Champions League in 1998 but Kiev were unwilling to sell. Arsenal and Chelsea are locked in a battle for £12million Ukraine striker Sergei Rebrov. AC Milan and Barcelona are also chasing the Dynamo Kiev star but sources close to the player insist he is destined for the Premiership. Rebrov was first targeted by Arsenal after he scored twice against them in the Champions League in 1998 but Kiev were unwilling to sell. The 25-year-old has scored five goals in eight Champions League games this season, boosting his overall European record to 25 in 54 matches. Many rate him more highly than former partner Andriy Shevchenko, who moved to AC Milan for £17m last summer, and Kiev will allow him to negotiate a summer move abroad once they are out of Europe. They are currently bottom of their Champions League group, without a victory, and are not expected to progress. Dynamo assistant manager Alexei Mikhailichenko said: 'It is a logical time for him to move to a new club.' Arsenal may be slight favorites to capture Rebrov, having already negotiated successfully the purchase of Oleg Luzhny from Kiev last summer, although Chelsea have enough contacts in the right places to put a deal together. Rebrov will offer a preview of his talents to the English public when he leads the Ukraine attack against England at Wembley in a May friendly. While the Gunners fight for the services of a striker, they are also closing in on Ipswich's £5m-rated goalkeeper Richard Wright. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger sees Wright, tipped as a future England No.1, as a long-term replacement for David Seaman - casting a shadow over the future of current back-up Alex Manninger. With 36-year-old Seaman nearing the end of his peak years, Wenger has been forced to address the problem of finding a worthy successor. Manninger has been waiting patiently in the wings for the past two seasons, performing excellently when needed, and believed he would be given the chance to establish himself as first choice. But Wenger is now thought to be looking elsewhere and has been impressed by Wright's emergence as the best young goalkeeper in English football. While Manninger is an excellent shot stopper, he lacks the physical presence which makes Seaman such an imposing figure. Wright, at 6ft 2in and 13 stone, fits Wenger's requirements perfectly. The 22-year-old has been a key figure in Ipswich's recent promotion near-misses and has forced his way into the senior England squad, where Kevin Keegan has made a point of detailing Seaman to help him. Ipswich would not be keen to sell but would find it hard to knock back £5m or to deny Wright the prospect of playing at one of the biggest clubs in the country.(Soccernet)
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