CSKA desperate to hang onto Honda as suitors circle

CSKA Moscow forward Keisuke Honda is eager to seal a summer switch to a top European club however his club’s hierarchy are keen to retain the services of the talented Japanese international.

Honda has been perennially linked with a move away from the Russian club with AC Milan and Liverpool the two frontrunners in the race to sign the powerful forward with Aston Villa monitoring the situation.

Arsenal have also watched the player with Arsene Wenger naming Honda is player of the tournament at this summer’s World Cup, however no formal contact was ever made.

Despite continued speculation the CSKA President Evgeni Giner insists Japanese World Cup midfielder Keisuke Honda is going nowhere in the summer.

"Now Honda plays for CSKA and he will continue to play for CSKA," said Giner.

The player himself is quoted by talkSPORT as informing the Russian press that he was eager to finally seal a move to Europe at the end of the current campaign.

"My time in Russian football is now complete. Now I aspire to play in a more competitive European League."

Honda was the Player of the Tournament at the Asia Cup earlier this year and also starred at last years World Cup in South Africa. Despite the club being desperate to hang onto the international the player’s agent informed Sport.co.uk during the January window that he was hopeful a summer deal could be concluded.