RUSSIAN star Andrei Arshavin hopes Spurs pursistance to sign him will pay off.

The star of the Euro 2008 Championships is in dispute with his club Zenit St Petersburg after they quoted Tottenham a huge £24million fee if they want to sign the playmaker.

But Arshavin is keeping his fingers crossed that a deal can be reached, as he would love to work under Spurs boss Juande Ramos at White Hart Lane this season “This price-tag has frightened everybody off," he told the Sunday Star.

"Only Tottenham have dared continue negotiations.

“My desire to leave is still as strong, but there is nothing more to do now, other than hope for a miracle.

“I’m just hoping that one fine morning the bosses will wake up in a good mood and say: ‘We’ve had enough of Arshavin’s whining. Let him go’.

“When Tottenham made their offer I was sceptical at first.

“But after Ramos called me personally and told me that that they were selling Robbie Keane and that he wanted me in his side, the situation changed.

“I like the way Tottenham play, so I agreed in principle to join.

“A short while later a representative from Spurs arrived to discuss personal terms and contract.

“The discussion didn’t take long and we agreed on everything quickly. Only then did my asking price go up.”