Wenger has been offered a £25million contract to take over at Real Madrid, says the Mirror.

Arsenal boss Wenger has been made the offer by Real Madrid to take charge from this summer - and the Spanish giants also want star midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

He has insisted he would never break a contract - his current deal does not expire until 2011 - and the Frenchman has previously rejected Real Madrid THREE times.

But Wenger’s position with the Gunners is being questioned for the first time in his glorious 12-and-a-half- year reign and that has led to him seriously considering his future at the Emirates.

The Mirror says Gunners boss Arsene Wenger would be ready to offload him this month - as long as he can get a replacement.

Juventus are also on standby but AC Milan have come in because they are desperate for a new defender as veteran centre-half Alessandro Nesta has been plagued by injuries this season.

Gallas is aware of the Italian interest and has admitted he nearly joined AC Milan in the past and playing in Serie A appeals to him.

The Russian playmaker was keen to secure a switch over the summer but Zenit fought hard to keep him.

The reigning Uefa Cup champions were not prepared to listen to offers that did not match their valuation, but they now appear to have agreed that Arshavin should find a new club.

“He will definitely move in January or the player and club will lose money,” said agent Dennis Lachter.

“Zenit and Andrei understand that it is time for them to part from each other.”

Arshavin has been linked with a number of clubs over the past few months, including Barcelona, Tottenham and Arsenal

The 27-year-old made a recent trip to London but Lachter has denied reports that he visited both Arsenal and Spurs’ training grounds.

“That is not true,” he said.

“I was in London and he was there too, but the only reason he was there was to shoot an advert for a company he has a contract with.

“I was at the Tottenham training ground, but it looks like someone saw me there and made the connection - he’s never been there, either to Arsenal or Tottenham.”

Zenit’s general director Maxim Mitrofanov encouraged Arsenal on Monday to make a £20million bid for Arshavin.

Cesc Fàbregas has admitted that he would prefer not to face high-flying Barcelona in the next stage of the Champions League, with the draw set to be made on Friday in Switzerland.

The Catalan midfielder recognises how strong his boyhood team currently are and has taken the unusual step of having a preference when asked about his views on the first knock-out round of the competition.

While the majority of players sit on the fence and state that all sides are difficult at this stage, Cesc has no qualms in identifying whom he does not want to face.

“We can draw some very big teams,” Cesc told Sky Sports News. “We will see what happens. If you want to win this tournament you have to beat everyone

“I don’t want them (Barcelona) to be honest.

“But whenever you say that you don’t want someone, you get them. So I would prefer not to say anything.”

Gael Clichy was not prepared to make any such bold statements and reverted to the safer ground before adding that on their day Arsenal should be able to beat anyone.

“At this stage of the competition all the teams are great teams,” he explained. “We will have to play our best football and if we play our best football we have a chance to win.

“I am really confident in the squad we have and the quality.”

The Google Zeitgeist 2008 shows that United were the search engine’s most popular football-related query this year in the US.

And mirroring events in this year’s Premier League and Champions League, United were chased all the way by Chelsea, who finished second.

Chivas, the MLS team based in Carson, California, come in third, ahead of Barcelona in fourth and Arsenal in fifth.

Although Sir Alex Ferguson is unlikely to crack open the champagne at these results, the club’s marketing department will be presumably be happy with this indication of the club’s popularity in the US.

Google Zeitgeist 2008 league table.

1. Manchester United
2008 performance: Stunning season saw United win the Champions League and Premier League. In Cristiano Ronaldo, they have one of the game’s most recognisable stars. Brief appearance on Hollywood red carpet (wearing questionable white suit) confirmed his growing international profile.

2. Chelsea
2008 performance: Lost out to United in the final of the Champions League and the run-in for the Premier League title. Manager Avram Grant was far less marketable than his predecessor Jose Mourinho.

3. Chivas
2008 performance: Qualified for the MLS play-offs after finishing second in Western Conference, but lost to Real Salt Lake in the semi-finals. Despite the arrival of David Beckham in LA, did not lose their status as California’s most popular team.

4. Barcelona
2008 performance: Poor end to 2007/8 season, finishing third in La Liga and losing to United in the semi-finals of Champions League. Have begun current season in sensational form however, with Lio Messi on fire.

5. Arsenal
2008 performance: Another trophyless year for Arsenal, whose extravagantly talented young squad seem unable to convert potential into prizes. Managed to keep hold of their most of their big stars in the summer.

The Gunners have found themselves in the headlines in recent days for all the wrong reasons following William Gallas’ outspoken attack on his team-mates and their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Manchester City last weekend.

Ferguson, who is preparing his side to face City this weekend, believes title rivals Arsenal are not currently in good shape and that City caught them on a good day last week.

“Maybe City got Arsenal on the right day last Saturday because there seems to be a lot of disarray in the Arsenal camp with the carry-on with one of their players,” said Ferguson.

“But you can only do what you are supposed to do and City did that very convincingly.”

Wenger has angrily rejected Ferguson’s claims as he looks to get his side back in the title hunt against Chelsea on Sunday.

“I don’t feel we are in disarray,” said Wenger.

“I feel that Manchester City are a good side and Manchester United will maybe see that on Sunday.

“We had a few bad results and with the pace set by Liverpool and Chelsea, that made us drop off, but the quality is there and what happened to us can happen to them.

“If this team beats Chelsea after having beaten Manchester United, I believe they will go from strength to strength.

“You just have to believe, and I know we can beat them.”

Gallas also questioned his team-mates’ fighting spirit and was subsequently dropped for last week’s defeat at Manchester City and stripped of the captaincy.

Czech Republic keeper Cech played with Gallas for two years at Stamford Bridge before the defender moved to the Gunners in August 2006 as part of the deal that saw Ashley Cole go in the opposite direction.

He has no doubt Gallas was only speaking his mind when he made his feelings public.

Cech told The Sun: “I know William and if he says it then it is true.

“I’ve played with him and know him well.

“William is a great guy and he is passionate about football but I don’t agree players should talk publicly about what is discussed in the dressing room.

“William must have felt very frustrated to want to talk publicly about it.

“As a person he says what he feels.

“And that’s why people look at him differently because when he speaks, it comes from the heart.”

The 26-year-old also believes Arsenal are undermined by their lack of fight, saying: “Arsenal play beautiful football at times but when you don’t manage to move your opponents with your football, you need to fight and be physical.

“And this is what Arsenal are missing.”

Chelsea are currently top of the Barclays Premier League, 10 points ahead of the Gunners, and Cech believes the north London side have to win when the teams meet tomorrow if they are to remain in the title race.

“If Arsenal lose then they will be out,” he continued.

“The gap will be 13 points and that is too much in this league.

“For them this is a must-win game.”

The London rivals meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and victory for the hosts would leave them 13 points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League.

The Blues have been held to frustrating draws in the last two matches but they are ready to bounce back with a win against Arsene Wenger’s struggling side.

That would represent a SIXTH league defeat for Arsenal, who have been rocked by William Gallas’ recent outbursts against his own team-mates.

Ballack said: “We are on top of the league and they are 10 points behind us and need to win.

“At the moment they are not the strongest team because they have other problems now.

“It is our intention to beat them. A 13-point gap is a lot and we hope we can do this. It will be hard for them.

“Everyone at Chelsea is very focused on this title because we want to have it back at Stamford Bridge.

“Everybody is hungry and you can feel it in training.”

William Gallas was stripped of the Arsenal armband after bringing to light the extent of the club’s infighting and blasting his team-mates for being too soft in tough games.

Cesc Fabregas was this week installed as his replacement, and there are strong suggestions that the French defender could leave Ashburton Grove during January.

The 31-year-old was already on dodgy footing with his club-mates and manager Arsene Wenger before his latest outburst, and it is thought he is now keen on a loan move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Few would be disappointed to see the back of him, it would seem, as Gael Clichy has effectively ‘pulled a Gallas’ by publicly questioning his compatriot’s actions.

“It has shattered something within the squad,” the left-back said in The Sun.

“It is something that should have remained between him and the boss even though there may be some truth in what William said.”

Clichy was among the favourites to be named the Gunners’ new captain, but his comments might just have vindicated Wenger’s decision to choose Fabregas instead.

“The manager and William have since discussed the matter but it is still a shame,” the 23-year-old continued.

“It is done now, and there is no going back. It is now down to the players and staff to glue the fragments back together and move on.

“What William said was difficult, not only because he was the captain but because he is an experienced player.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits he has a “better” relationship with Manchester United rival Sir Alex Ferguson.

Before the Gunners’ victory yesterday, Wenger told arsenal.com: “Our relationship is better. Why? Because I believe that over the years there is a respect there.

“As well the competition has been as well with Chelsea and Liverpool and that has diverted it a little bit, [the rivalry is] not only directly anymore with Arsenal.

“But of course I relish still these battles [with Ferguson] because we are two fierce, passionate men and you know we are here to win football games.

“You do not last a long time in this job if you are not super-passionate about winning. We have that in common.”