Blanc: Chamakh to stay at Bordeaux

The Moroccan international, who has netted 15 times for his country, has been linked with a move to the Premier League throughout the close-season.

His 13 goals last term helped secure a first league title in 10 years for les Girondins, but Chamakh originally made no secret of his desire to leave the Stade Chaban Delmas.

He previously claimed to have agreed terms with Sunderland, Fulham, Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur, while Arsenal withdrew their interest in the striker after refusing to up their first offer of £5 million.

West Ham were the latest English club being linked with Chamakh's services, with the Hammers' boss Gianfranco Zola having already been linked with several high-profile forwards, including Barcelona's Eidur Gudjohnsen, Inter Milan's Mario Balotelli and Bayern Munich talisman Luca Toni, as he bids to bolster his front-line.

"Marouane's decision has matched my logic. The situation is much clearer for the player now," he told L'Equipe.

"He wanted to join a big club, but do you know who the biggest club is? Bordeaux!

"So he is staying. That is just perfect."

Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.