Arshavin mocked with meerkat jibe

The 28-year-old joined the Emirates Stadium outfit from Zenit St Petersburg at the beginning of February for £15 million, and enjoyed an explosive start to his Premier League career, netting six league goals in 12 appearances, including four against Liverpool at Anfield.

And as the diminutive playmaker prepares to embark on his first full season in North London and help the club secure a trophy for the first time in five seasons, the Russian international has not managed to escape being the subject of dressing room banter.

Arsenal players are believed to often tease Arshavin by claiming he sounds like Russian meerkat Aleksandr Orlov, who features in the series of Compare The Market advertisements, with players often mimicking the TV puppet whenever he speaks.

"A few of the first team lads started it off and now the joke has spread around the whole club," a club source told The Sun.

"Andrey's been getting a lot of stick over it but it's all good banter.

"Andrey has seen the funny side, but I think he was a bit confused at first."

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