“It wasn’t a difficult choice because Arsenal are one of the biggest clubs in the world,” Bergkamp said. “It’s very attractive to me because English teams like to attack, and whenever I’ve played against sides here there have always been possibilities to score. Unlike Klinsmann, Bergkamp has not insisted in an opt-out clause, and stressed that he intended seeing out his contract.The 26-year-old newcomer clearly caught the revivalist mood after an afternoon spent at the stadium with two agents, his wife, brother, officials of both clubs and an army of media men. As a symbol of a fresh start, Rioch could hardly have picked a better signing than the skilful, deep- lying six-footer from Amsterdam. Bergkamp could well have the same galvanising effect that Jurgen Klinsmann had at Spurs.

Rioch added: “This clearly indicates our ambition, intention and determination to compete with any club for the very best players.”The domestic campaign was a disaster for Arsenal last season, marked by slump on the pitch and sleaze off it. It may not be the most amicable of friendlies; he made little impact after an pounds 8m transfer from Ajax to the Milan club in 1993, scoring just 11 goals in 52 Serie A matches, and was apparently regarded within the Inter dressing-room as an aloof outsider.Unconcerned by Bergkamp’s problems in Italy, Rioch, who immediately allocated the Dutchman his favoured No 10 shirt, hailed his new recruit as “a world- class player with wonderful ability, technically excellent and an individual capable of applying his considerable ability to the benefit of the team”. His contract is reportedly worth pounds 25,000 a week, making him the British game’s highest-paid player and shattering the wage structure rigidly maintained under George Graham’s managership.
As part of the transfer, which eclipses the pounds 2.5m Graham invested in both Ian Wright and John Hartson, Bergkamp will make his home debut in a friendly against Inter on 10 August. Bergkamp, who idolised Glenn Hoddle and Steve Archibald as part of his boyhood devotion to North London’s other club, signed a four-year deal to become Rioch’s first signing for Arsenal. For Arsenal, it was history in more ways than one. Not only did the pounds 7.5m paid by Bruce Rioch for Dennis Bergkamp treble the club’s record outlay, but the Dutch international striker’s arrival from Internazionale yesterday must be first instance of a Tottenham fan receiving a rapturous welcome in Highbury’s marble halls. I’m absolutely exhausted,” he said.Jimmy Connors, 42, the Wimbledon champion in 1974 and 1982, returned to the ATP Tour for the first time for more than a year yesterday and beat the Canadian Sebastien Lareau 6-4, 7-6 in the first round of the Gerry Weber Open grass-court tournament in Halle, Germany..

“It has to be my best victory,” he said, “because Jonas is the highest-ranked player I’ve beaten.” He certainly coped with the conditions far better than the Swede, who took only six points off the Briton’s serve in the entire first set which went to a tie-break, Henman slipping back from a 5-2 lead but finally taking it 9-7.Two early breaks in the second set put him on his way and although Bjorkman broke back, Henman regaied his poise for a third service-break to clinch it.Jeremy Bates went out to the No 4 seed Alexander Volkov, going down 7-5, 7-5 “I don’t feel well. I’ve practised a bit with him and it wouldn’t frighten me to play him again.”Henman will climb into the world’s top 200 after his win against Bjorkman, ranked 22. Tim Henman has Pete Sampras in his sights after an uplifting straight- sets victory for himself and British tennis in the Nottingham Open yesterday. The 20-year-old Oxford player, who broke his leg nine months ago, defeated the No 2 seed Jonas Bjorkman 7-6, 7-5 in a first-round triumph to stop the familiar rot of five home men crashing out early.
Only last week, the slimly built Henman eclipsed the world’s 49th-ranked Martin Sinner of Germany at the Stella Artois tournament.Yesterday success came just hours after Henman learned he will meet Sampras at Wimbledon next week – provided he removes Kenya’s Paul Wekese in his opening round and Sampras does not slip up against Karsten Braasch of Germany.”I’ve played Sampras before,” Henman said “In Tokyo in September and I came second – nearly third It was 1-6, 2-6 actually.