Gilberto Silva has lost his place in the Arsenal sideGilberto's Arsenal future looks doomed after telling Arsene Wenger he did not want to play in central defence at Sheffield United tomorrow. The Daily Star report that boss Wenger wanted midfielder Gilberto to add experience in defence with a young side facing a physical Blades outfit in the Carling Cup clash.Philippe Senderos, who played in the previous round against Newcastle, has been out with a back injury and Wenger did not want to risk fielding skipper William Gallas or Kolo Toure so close to Saturday's crunch clash with Manchester United. But Gilberto, who skippered Brazil to their Copa America triumph in the summer, has become increasingly frustrated about not being able to play in central midfield.
He told the manager he wasn't happy about being a stand-in centre back - as he was asked to be against Spurs earlier this season after Senderos was injured in the warm-up - and as a result was axed from the squad. Wenger's treatment of such an influential and experienced player - he was an ever-present in midfield when Brazil won the World Cup in 2002 - has raised eyebrows at Arsenal.
After helping out Wenger at White Hart Lane and also playing at centre back in three earlier games, Gilberto has had just 66 minutes' action in midfield and has seen his place taken by Frenchman Mathieu Flamini. Starsport also revealed early in the season how Gilberto only learned he has been axed as skipper - with the job going to William Gallas - by reading about it on the Arsenal website.
Gilberto was widely judged to have had an excellent season for the Gunners in their last campaign, scoring 11 goals and leading the club in the regular absence of Thierry Henry. Considering his huge experience - he's been capped 39 times by Brazil - being asked to play alongside Arsenal's rookies appears to have come as a shock to him.
He been linked with a possible January move to Valencia, who number his former Gunners team-mate Edu among their players. He has just this season and next left on his contract.
