We can't lose Hleb, says Wenger
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Arsène Wenger has expressed his disappointment at losing Mathieu Flamini to Milan under the Bosman ruling but hopes to persuade Alexander Hleb to remain at Arsenal despite an approach from Internazionale.
Arsenal intend to complain to Fifa over Inter's interest in Hleb, who was apparently courted by the Italians while the Premier League club were in Milan for their Champions League knockout tie in March. The Belarussian midfielder, 27, an £11.2m signing from Stuttgart in 2005, could yet invoke Fifa's "Webster clause" by which players can buy out the remainder of their contract after three years provided they do not move to a club in the same country.
"What people say about the buy-out clause, it is not as simple as it looks," said Wenger yesterday. "It is much more difficult and the clubs are reluctant to do that [invoke the clause]. We want to keep Hleb, we want him to be part of our team next year. It is as simple as that. We have lost one player. We do not want to lose more."
Wenger had hoped to retain his squad ahead of next season but, after refusing Jens Lehmann a new contract, he could yet see Hleb and Gilberto Silva follow Flamini away from the club. Real Madrid's latest publicly expressed interest in Cesc Fábregas is unhelpful while William Gallas's future at the Emirates is by no means certain. That has proved unsettling, prompting Wenger to call for unity in the wake of Flamini's defection.
"We were close this year but we did not win and what I expect from my team is that, if you are a winner, you say: 'Let's come back next year and win,'" said Arsenal's manager of 12 years. "If our players are not capable of doing that and just want to walk out for bigger contracts, for me that would be the biggest disappointment. If you are a winner you say: 'You beat me now in a game but give me a chance to come back and beat you.'
"That's what I expect of a team. If they cannot do that then it means I was wrong completely in my whole judgment of this team. That would be the biggest disappointment for the club - not only to not win this year but to not be capable of coming back together."
Flamini has signed a four-year contract worth about £65,000 a week at San Siro, considerably more than the deal proposed by Arsenal to retain him. "It is a problem [the salaries on offer] but we did not master this situation [with Flamini] because when a player is out of contract he can sign where he wants," added Wenger. "I must say I am disappointed that he did that but, legally, he can do it"
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Flamini signed for AC Milan for a £65,000 a week deal... I am wondering why can't Arsenal pay him that "extra" $15k when they were willing to offer him $50k per week?
Now they have to spend another sum just to bring in another player to cover his position... weird...
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hope arsenal lose hleb
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Flamini signed for AC Milan for a £65,000 a week deal... I am wondering why can't Arsenal pay him that "extra" $15k when they were willing to offer him $50k per week
£65,000 is tax free from AC
£50,000 is not tax free from arsenal. given 40-50%tax in britain. that would left him around £30,000.
different could be double.
if you are earning $3000/mth someone come in and offer u similar job, maybe easier job and offer $6000/mth. i think most ppl will jump boat. not to mention the career of football is short.
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Flamini signed for AC Milan for a £65,000 a week deal... I am wondering why can't Arsenal pay him that "extra" $15k when they were willing to offer him $50k per week?
Now they have to spend another sum just to bring in another player to cover his position... weird...
if you read the tnp today, you would understand why flamini left too.. arsenal didn't treat him with respect or make moves to show that they actually valued him.. even if arsenal had offered him 65k, he would still've gone to milan because of the above said reasons..
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Originally posted by stellazio:
if you read the tnp today, you would understand why flamini left too.. arsenal didn't treat him with respect or make moves to show that they actually valued him.. even if arsenal had offered him 65k, he would still've gone to milan because of the above said reasons..
what respect? wenger actually offered him 1st place in midfiled for whole season instead of using gilberto,the brazil captain! and he just left like that....for sure if he stay on he will be regular 11 for rest of his careeer at arsenal.
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Originally posted by SiMiLaiEh*:
what respect? wenger actually offered him 1st place in midfiled for whole season instead of using gilberto,the brazil captain! and he just left like that....for sure if he stay on he will be regular 11 for rest of his careeer at arsenal.
go read the article... wenger was neevr intending to use gilberto beyond this season anyway, thats why he gave the captaincy to gallas..
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Originally posted by stellazio:
go read the article... wenger was neevr intending to use gilberto beyond this season anyway, thats why he gave the captaincy to gallas..
at least Wenger showed him lots of respect this season but he just left like that. I doubt the article seriously as you know, Singapore sports writers love to assume. And money is certainly still a reason why Flamini chose Milan.
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most times, we see tip of iceberg la..
players at this point of contract talks want to feel important and pamper.
rub them the wrong way, and they will leave...
to be fair, AC milan is a prestigous club with tons of history.
and they are rebuilding and will have tons of great players unlike gunners which still have to struggle for a few more seasons, maybe to achieve greatness.
yes wenger wants the title. but with a limited budget where MU and Chelsea or even Spurs are bringing out their cheque books again, may not bore well for them.
Gunners may do well in the seasons next year, but once come Jan, I believe they will falter again due to squad depth unless of course, Wenger can unearth another Vieira or Henry.. else it will be so close yet so far again.
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wenger is now screw up huh? now even players hate him... all lose respect for him liao
Arsenal next year can't get in top 5 liao lah.. see they so pathetic... -
no experience in the team
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Originally posted by reyes:
Flamini signed for AC Milan for a £65,000 a week deal... I am wondering why can't Arsenal pay him that "extra" $15k when they were willing to offer him $50k per week
£65,000 is tax free from AC
£50,000 is not tax free from arsenal. given 40-50%tax in britain. that would left him around £30,000.
different could be double.
if you are earning $3000/mth someone come in and offer u similar job, maybe easier job and offer $6000/mth. i think most ppl will jump boat. not to mention the career of football is short.
i am not sure if i read correctly, but i thot i read flamini is getting close to £140k/week. as there is no transfer fee involved and leaving on bosman ruling, ac milan saved a lot and a portion of that is factored into flamini's pay. i think top players in the epl is paid in the 130k region now, thiery henry was probably on 115k/week when he left arsenal. there is no way arsenal can pay him that wage without causing players' unrest there. flamini's case is a goner from the start if the wages ac milan pays flamini is 6-figures weekly. i don't think the gap between arsenal and what ac milan pays flamini is that small. otherwise, arsenal is penny wise, pound foolish.