London – Arsenal outcast Nicklas Bendtner has been branded too fat by Juventus coaching staff just days after signing up for a season-long loan.
The Denmark striker was given permission by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to miss a large portion of summer training in order to find himself a new club following his year on loan at Sunderland.
But the lack of pre-season conditioning has caught up with Bendtner, 24, with Juve coaches saying he is carrying too much weight to play in Serie A. In addition to worries over Bendtner’s waistline, former Juve midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi has questioned what impact the self-styled ‘best striker in the world’ would have in Turin.
“I will not say Bendtner is a bad player,” said Tacchinardi, one of the club’s 50 ‘legends’. “But he does not help improve Juventus, either.”
Selling Bendtner and fellow flop Andrey Arshavin were two key summer objectives for Arsenal, given their respective wages of £52,000 and £80,000 a week.
But, while the club offloaded the Dane on loan, they have struggled to find a buyer for Arshavin.
Zenit St Petersburg, Dynamo Moscow and CSKA Moscow have made enquiries about the attacking midfielder ahead of Thursday’s Russian transfer deadline.
Arsenal wanted £5million for Arshavin at the start of the summer but now accept they will have to settle for a lot less. – Daily Mail