© EuroFootball.com
The Czech national team and Borussia Dortmund defender Tomas Rosicky will most likely be wearing the Champions League finalist's London shirt next season - the player has already passed a medical examination in the English capital. Such unexpected news was revealed on Monday evening by the coach of the Czech team preparing for the World Championship, Karel Bruckner.
"I am surprised that this did not come to light earlier. We wanted to keep our promise to remain silent, but now I have to admit that Tomas is undergoing a medical examination," said K. Bruckner, who allowed the player to leave the Czech national team training camp in Austria on Monday.
The 25-year-old attacking midfielder T. Rosicky, whose contract with Borussia runs until 2008, has long expressed his desire to move to a stronger club amid the financial crisis and the decline of Dortmund from a Bundesliga powerhouse to a mid-table team. Many European clubs were interested in the Czech player, and actively pursued him, Madrid's Atletico being among them, but the Spaniards failed to agree on the transfer fee. It is believed that Borussia would want around 13 million euros for one of their leaders.
Therefore, it seems that in the battle for the player, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, known for not sparing money when it comes to younger talent acquisitions, is willing to pay such a sum. In the summer of 2005, the Frenchman from Germany paid about 15 million euros for one of the best defenders in the country, a few months younger than T. Rosicky, Belarusian Alexander Hleb, and in January 2004, Arsenal paid more than 20 million to acquire one of the most promising Spanish footballers from Sevilla, Jose Antonio Reyes.
