Arsenal signed Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom on loan until the end of the season from Russian club Spartak Moscow on transfer deadline day.
Manager Arsene Wenger moved for Kallstrom on Friday as he looked to add depth to a midfield hit by injuries to Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere and Mathieu Flamini’s suspension.
The 31 year old, who has also played for BK Hacken, Djurgardens and Rennes, has a wealth of experience at the highest level after starring at French club Lyon.
Kallstrom made over 200 appearances for Lyon, winning the Ligue 1 title twice and helping the club reach the Champions League semi-finals in 2009-10.
He has also won 108 caps for Sweden and appeared in the European Championships in 2004, 2008 and 2012, as well as the 2006 World Cup.
Wenger believes Kallstrom’s impressive pedigree will make him a valuable addition as Arsenal, currently second in the Premier League, look to end their long trophy drought.
“Kim Kallstrom is a hugely-experienced player,” Wenger told Arsenal’s website.
“He is a midfielder with proven quality at both club and international level. We welcome Kim to Arsenal.”
Although Kallstrom has appeared for Spartak Moscow in this season’s Europa League at the play-off stage, when they were eliminated by Swiss club St Gallen, Arsenal say he will be eligible for the remainder of this season’s Champions League campaign.
With a potentially thrilling end to the season in prospect, Kallstrom is determined to help Arsenal finally win silverware after an nine-year drought.
“Arsenal is an amazing club with a lot of great players and a coach who has done really well here for a long time,” Kallstrom said.
“I am so pleased to come here to learn as much as possible. I’m here to do my best for Arsenal and to help out the team, so we can achieve good results for the last part of the season.”
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80
Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
