There are implications that money may be the issue. "I understand he is at the age where he needs a good contract.... We also have a wage scale to respect".

It makes sense that Arsenal wouldn't want to commit themselves to huge long-term wages when we have youngsters like Cesc and Flamini not far from edging in front of Edu in Wenger's thoughts (Cesc may well be there already). But he also recognises that these youngsters don't yet have the experience to fill Edu's shoes as far as the squad as a whole is concerned. If Edu doesn't sign before the transfer window opens in January, when he will be free to talk to other clubs about a move in the summer, Arsenal are likely to try to sign a ready-made replacement.

But Wenger has played down rumours that he might turn to Emmanuel Petit. Vieira's former partner has been training with Arsenal since being released by Chelsea earlier in the year, and Arsenal are helping him in his search for a new club. Wengers says, "You never say no, but at the moment we are helping Petit to find a club on the longer term, something he could never do with us." Who knows, perhaps if Petit hasn't sorted himself out by the time we need someone (if we need someone), Wenger will re-think this. After all, finding a Champs-League-eligible (touch wood) player halfway through the season might not be so easy. And what could be a better advertisement for Petit as far as finding a new club next season is concerned, than spending a few months back in the Arsenal first team squad?

Returning to Edu, if he doesn't sign for us he could find himself left out in the cold. Last season Sylvain Wiltord was in the same position, and after having been ignored by Wenger after his desire to leave became clear, he then found it harder than he probably expected to find a new club of the calibre he was looking for. We suspect Edu will be more attractive, and Barcelona keep on being mentioned, but he needs to be careful.

The fact that he's hardly played this season won't have helped either. He missed the start of the season because of international friendlies, and then injured himself in the League Cup win over Everton. According to his own website he is back in training and hoping to be ready for the Chelsea game (fingers crossed), but he admits that that would be a bit of a long shot, and the word from the club suggests that's right: their injury news page has an update from December 2nd, saying that he's 3 weeks away from returning. And that takes us almost up to the date when he'll have to have decided whether or not to sign.