Dynamo Kiev v Arsenal

Dynamo Kiev: Bogush, Betao, Diakhate, Mykhalyk, Nesmachniy, Vukojevic, Yussuf, Yeremenko, Aliev, Ninkovic, Bangoura. Subs: Shovkovskiy, Ghioane, Morozyuk, Shatskikh, Kravets, Olexander Romanchuk, Asatiani.

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Walcott, Fabregas, Song Billong, Denilson, Van Persie, Adebayor. Subs: Fabianski, Vela, Ramsey, Wilshere, Djourou, Bendtner, Eboue.

Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain)

Samir Nasri and Mikael Silvestre have been ruled out of Arsenal's Champions League trip to Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday.

Midfielder Nasri suffered an ankle injury on international duty with France and failed a fitness test on Tuesday morning to determine whether he would travel to Ukraine.

Silvestre, who made a shock move to the Emirates from Manchester United in the transfer window, was expected to make his Arsenal debut in the Group G opener but remains sidelined by a thigh injury he picked up in August.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be able to call on Emmanuel Eboue and Gael Clichy, however, who have both been declared fit and named in the 18-man squad.

Arsenal squad: Manuel Almunia, Bacary Sagna, Cesc Fabregas, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Robin van Persie, Carlos Vela, Theo Walcott, Denilson, Aaron Ramset, Alex Song, Jack Wilshere, Johan Djourou, Lukasz Fabianski, Gael Clichy, Emmanuel Adebayor, Nicklas Bendtnar, Emmanuel Eboue

Having put the disappointment of a World Cup Qualifier defeat to Libya last Friday behind him, Stephen Appiah flew to London right after the game saying that a decision on his future will be made this week.

“By the end of the week I will see where I am going to play my club football” he said to the Ghanaian press.

His first competitive game after ten months out of action went as well as could be expected. He came on for the injured Essien and had a good game under the circumstances creating a couple of chances which the forwards failed to convert.

“It was not bad and I was satisfied. After being out for ten months I enjoyed every bit of it. I realise I have a lot of work to do because I struggled at times” he said.

Contrary to what has been written before in the British press Appiah is still waiting for his clearance from FIFA which would make him a free agent and able to play for another club without the need for a transfer fee.

In the meantime it is believed that favourites for his signature are West Ham despite the recent resignation of Alan Curbishley.

This is because his link with the club was not Curbishley but the Italian Director of football Gianluca Nani and the likelihood that the next coach will be Italian.

Appiah has close links with Italy as he used to, prior to Fenerbahce, play for Juventus and Brescia there.

And the link with Brescia is Gianluca Nani himself who was their sporting Director prior to joining West Ham this year! Brescia were also the club who kindly let Appiah train with them recently in order to regain fitness!

Negotiations with West Ham which reached the point of agreeing a £40.000 a week salary were far advanced.

But in the meantime more clubs are preparing to enter the race for Appiah. These are, in addition to Portsmouth and Arsenal from the Premier League, his old club Juventus and the two German clubs Bayern and Schalke.

By 1970’s Gooner

Milan have called off their bid to sign Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor and Chelsea's Andriy Shevchenko following the purchase of Ronaldinho from Barcelona.

Adebayor has also been linked with Barca, while Shevchenko is expected to stay in London despite repeated overtures from his former club Milan.

The Rossoneri were also one of several clubs linked with Chelsea and Ivory Coast hit-man Didier Drogba, but no formal bid was made.

"The market for Milan is closed with Ronaldinho," Rossoneri chief executive Adriano Galliani said after signing the Brazilian for 21 million euros plus add-ons.

"As far as arrivals are concerned, we are finished, absolutely."

Galliani added that the likes of Croatia defender Dario Simic and teenage striker Alberto Paloschi could be sold.

Togo forward Adebayor hit 30 goals last season and wants to quit Arsenal, aware that he can triple his wage to more than £100,000 a week.

Shevchenko has struggled to settle since joining Chelsea for £30 million two seasons ago, but new boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has backed the Ukrainian to succeed at Stamford Bridge.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb On The Way Out.

Arsenal look resigned to losing their second midfielder of the summer as Alexander Hleb closes in on his move to Barcelona.

The Belarus international will have a medical at the club today and could be unveiled as early as tomorrow providing the deal does not suffer any last-minute hitches.

Reports in Spain claim Barcelona will pay Arsenal £11.9 million for the 27-year-old who has long been linked with a move away from the Premier League since the end of the season having claimed he was "mentally tired" of life in London.

"The player Alexander Hleb, who has spent the past three seasons at Arsenal, arrives today in Barcelona to undergo a medical prior to his incorporation in FC Barcelona," read a statement on Barcelona's website.

"From 1pm, the player will be in the offices of the club to take part in the usual photocall

Then, at 4pm, the footballer will have a medical in the Hospital de Barcelona and, from 7pm, will continue these tests in the Medical Centre of FC Barcelona.

"On the assumption that he passes these tests satisfactorily, Alexander Hleb could sign a contract tomorrow and be presented as a new player at FC Barcelona."

If all goes to plan, Hleb will become Barca's fifth summer signing following the arrivals of Seydou Keita, Gerard Pique, Martin Caceres and Daniel Alves.

Hleb, however, will become Arsenal's second departure following Mathieu Flamini's move to AC Milan on a free transfer while Emmanuel Adebayor's future at the Emirates remains unsettled.

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