Pires in new contract talks with Arsenal

Robert Pires has opened talks with Arsenal about a new contract that will extend his career at Highbury.

The French midfielder arrived in Santiago today for the world and European champions' friendly with Chile in the best form of his life.

The 28-year-old has flourished since joining Arsenal from Marseille for £5 million a year ago. When he first arrived, Pires struggled to adapt to the high tempo and physically demanding football of the Premiership.

But from January onwards he adjusted with such success that he was one of Arsenal's most consistent performers in the championship run-in that secured a runners-up spot and the guarantee of Champions League football. He also played a significant part in the FA Cup campaign that took Arsenal to the final in Cardiff and also to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Pires was also named player of the tournament in the Confederations Cup which France won in South Korea and Japan last June.

He said today: "I want to stay at Arsenal and extend my contract. I have put some proposals to the club and I am waiting to hear back from them." If agreement can be reached - and Pires stays longer than the three years left on his contract - it will be a huge boost for Arsenal.

He has been outstanding in Arsenal's first three games of the season that have brought 4-0 victories against Middlesbrough and Leicester with a defeat at home to Leeds in between.

The win over Leicester at Highbury on Saturday came four days after the setback against Leeds and Pires said: "It was important that we won after losing to Leeds. We had to react and we did."