Zenit St Petersburg's talks with Manchester United winger Nani collapsed because of the Portuguese winger's "unreal" wage demands, Zenit director-general Maxim Mitrofanov told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Thursday.

PA PhotosNani's long-term future at Manchester United is uncertain

The big-spending Mitrofanov said his team did not come close to agreeing personal terms with the 25-year-old, even after United chiefs expressed their willingness to part with Nani.

Zenit recently acquired Brazil forward Hulk and Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel for a combined $101 million. The Russian transfer window closed Thursday.

"If Hulk had demanded €8 million to €10 million a year, these conditions would have been unacceptable for Zenit," Mitrofanov said. "The transfer of Nani failed mostly due to this reason, as he asked for an enormous salary."

The Portugal international did not enjoy the best of starts to the new Premier League season, turning in a poor display at Everton that saw him subbed and then dropped from the next game.

The collapse of the deal leaves Nani in limbo at United, with the club's desire to offload him suggesting he may struggle to force his way back into Sir Alex Ferguson's first-team plans. It is reported that his agent had been demanding a 130,000-pounds-per-week ($208,000) deal to keep his client in Manchester.

Meanwhile, Zenit also failed in its bid to bring Arsenal's Andrei Arshavin to St. Petersburg in the hours before the Russian transfer window slammed shut on Thursday night, leaving the winger out in the cold for club and country after he was dropped by new Russia boss Fabio Capello.