FLAMINI REMAINS AT MILAN

AC Milan has confirmed that French midfielder Mathieu Flamini will remain at the club for another season.

Flamini was expected to leave the San Siro outfit this summer with his contract running out next month, but the 28-year-old has put pen to paper on a new one-year deal with the Rossoneri.

A statement from AC Milan read: "Mathieu Flamini, Rossonero since 2008 and also next season."

Flamini, who was linked with possible moves to Malaga and Napoli, has reportedly agreed a significant pay cut to remain with the Italian giants.

The midfielder joined Milan from Arsenal in 2008 but missed most of last season with a serious knee injury.

The former Marseille man has made 100 appearances in all competitions for Milan, scoring four goals, and helped them win the Serie A title and Italian Super Cup in 2011.

Funny how people can swap class for mediocrity.

Flamini finally decided to accept peanuts to stay in Milan, 28,000/week ?

Dont really wanna talk about this dude

My thoughts ?

SMH

GIROUD THE NEW GUN

French international striker Olivier Giroud has signed a long term deal with Arsenal.

25 year old Giroud completed a medical and agreed personal terms with the North Londoners on Monday.

With all paperwork processed, thus officially finalised a deal that had been in the offing for a long time.

Arsene Wenger has expressed his delight a capturing the former Montpellier man, who scored 21 goals last season.

Giroud joins Lukas Podolski who agreed to sign earlier in the year alongside Robin Van Persie in the Gunners new look attack.

Giroud

Haha ........ ololololo

So we finally signed Giroud? Thank God !

Could not wait to see it on the Arsenal website, now we have a Baaaadt looking strike force, not that i didnt hear of it yesterday but wanted visual proof.

What more can we ask for in the attacking department than to pray RVP stays, cos right now im liking my lips at how we would punish EPL defenders with this strike force.

OK !  Attack sorted, lets move to the defence, i hear Jan Verthonghen's move to lowly Spurs is on ice(hehehe), lets pile more misery on them by signing this lad. 

My thoughts?

Happy days are ere again with Lukas, Olivier and RVP 

MILAN RELEASES FLAMINI

French midfielder Mathieu Flamini has been released by AC Milan. The former Arsenal STAR was out of contract this summer and rejected a new deal to stay at the San Siro.

The 28-year-old was out injured and missed most of last season but was offered the chance to extend his stay at the club until 2014, Milan offered him fresh terms on £28,000 per week less than HALF the £73,000 per week salary he received when he joined from Arsenal on a free transfer four years ago.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said: "The deadline has passed and we told his lawyer we won't be waiting any more."

Mathieu Flamini started his career with Marseille in France and joined Arsenal on a free in 2004, he left Arsenal after running down his contract before moving to Milan on a free four years ago.

Parting company with the Rossoneri, Flamini has now left three clubs without to command a transfer fee for his services.

Flamini Flamini Flamini.

I desperately wanted this guy to stay at Arsenal four years ago, but he moved anyway, the Italian tabloid branded his move from Arsenal as the deal of the season, an absolute steal. Arsenal's Rino Gattuso moving to Milan on a free.

Like Adebayor and Hleb, Flamini never found his Arsenal form in Italy, he was seen as a utility player and played as a full back instead of in front of the defence.

At Arsenal, aged 23/24, he was worth almost more that 20 million pounds and he left on a free meaning Arsenal lost almost 20 million Pounds for a guy not at his peak now for just over five million you could get his services but he available for FREE.   AGAIN!

Flamini at Arsenal

Four years ago he would have been the first name on the French national team list, he would be in Poland/Ukraine right now, Alou Diara or Hugo Lloris would not be wearing the captain arm band. Its so hard to believe Famini would be offered a massive pay cut at 28 to remain at Milan.  £28,000 ? thats far less than Jack WIlshere earns, but then they both are not in the same class, dont even compare, Jack would walk into the French team any day.

When was the last time Flamini played for France? eer, that would be 10 September 2008, under Raymond Domenech against Serbia.

Fact is Flamini messed a promising career up BIG TIME. Hope the younger ones learn from this though.

My Thoughts? 

Again!  The pitch is not always greener on the other side.

CHARBONNIER IN, GIROUD OUT

Montpellier has acquired the service of French striker Gaetan Charbonnier.
The former PSG hitman was signed from French Ligue2 side Angers on a four year deal for just under 1.5million Euros. Gaetan Charbonnier looks to be a replacement for Olivier Giroud who seems to be on the way to North London gunners Arsenal.

Gaetan Charbonnier

Gaitan Charbonnier  signing for Montpellier is a good sign for Gooners and further proves to us that Olivier Giroud will be wearing an Arsenal shirt next season (probably the #9 shirt).
Though of late Giroud has not confirmed nor denied stories linking that he has signed for Arsenal, preferring not to say anything until after Euro 2012.
Dont know why Giroud has not been given a chance to play in the Euros yet, Gooners are dying to see what he can do.

My thoughts? Thank you Montpellier, for giving us Giroud.

ZENITH TALK ARSHAVIN

Arsenal are in talks with Zenit St Petersburg over a move for Andriy Arshavin but the Gunners will only sell for £8million.

Arsenal paid Zenit £15million for the midfielder and although they expect to lose a significant amount by letting him go, they are still keen to recoup as much as possible.

Zenit are offering £5million but Arsenal are said to want closer to £8million if a deal is to happen, much will depend on Arshavin's form at Euro2012 as the price is sure to go up if he continues to shine.

I dont understand why we want to get rid of Arshavin, that dude has been played out of position throughout his Arsenal career.

Instances where he has shown he can be the perfect trickster we lack in our midfield were the games against Bolton where he supplied Park Chu Young the assist from midfield not from the flanks,

Another game he drifted to the second striker role to score was that UCL game against Barcelona where his goal made sure Victor Valdez was flat on his bum.


My thoughts? Arshavin should be played in the play maker or second striker role, though we have three bahdt strikers (RVP, Podolski and inbound Giroud), lets not forget that injuries and fatigue will set in, plus we need Arshavin's experience.

ADEBAYOR

When Arsenal signed Emmanuel Adebayor from Monaco in January 2006, the first thing that came to my mind was Arsene was trying to replace Nwankwo Kanu with a look alike Nigerian (technically).

Adebayor was a Kanu dopple ganger

Adebayor had a lousy first full season with Arsenal but he got into his stride when Thiery henry left for Barcelona, Adebayor scored goals for fun and his best goals for Arsenal in my opinion was his second against Spurs in a 3-1 win and the overhead kick against villareal in the UCL quarter final.

Mr Prolific

I think the fame and attention he was receiving at Arsenal got into his head and the poor guy thought he was the best striker in the world, after flirting with Barcelona and AC Milan he eventually moved on to Manchester City in July 2009.

Sooo much attention

Adebayor was never going to be as prolific as he was at Arsenal simply because he never got the services he was so much used to from Cesc Fabrigas and Alexanr Hleb at Arsenal anylonger, City loaned him out to Madrid, Madrid refused to sign him on a permanent basis, on returning to City he was loaned out to the club he tormented the most while at Arsenal, The Spurs.
Adebayor did fairly well at Spurs last season scoring 17 goals in all competitions, ironically the man Adebayor confined to the backup striker role at Arsenal won the Golden boot in the EPL.

I really miss him cos i keep wondering what it would be like had he not left, he was so deadly for us from setpieces. I WISH ADEBAYOR WAS STILL AT ARSENAL, we would have had a fearsome attack line partnering him with RVP.

What could have been

Anyway, we have Olivier Giroud coming in, a player that seems to me a mixed breed of Adebayor and Didier Drogba. Yaay.

ARSENAL VERY CLOSE TO GIROUD DEAL

Montpellier manager Rene Girard has confirmed that striker Olivier Giroud could be on his way to Arsenal this summer.

The 25-year-old French forward scored an impressive 25 goals during Montpellier’s Ligue 1 title-winning season in 2011/2012 and he has since become an important part of the France national squad and is being chased by a number of Europe’s top clubs including Arsenal and Spanish rich boys Malaga .

 The former Tours forward is expected to cost Arsenal in the region of £13 million as stated in his contract and Girard says that the Gunners are showing a strong interest in his player.

 “Arsenal are very interested and Giroud wants to play in England, if Arsène [Wenger] agrees with the president, he will sign for them,” Girard said in an interview with French radio station RMC.

 However, Giroud will not make a decision on his future until after France’s Euro 2012 campaign which began with a draw against England on Monday.

 While Giroud would be an excellent addition to the Emirates home dressing room next season, Girard’s words are likely to increase speculation surrounding current Arsenal forward Robin van Persie’s future.

Last season’s Premier League player of the season is being chased by a host of clubs and his father confirmed last week that he could be tempted by a move to Real Madrid.

I really hope he lands in Arsenal as the deal is very close, but what bothers me is all the media speculation that RVP  is definitely leaving us. The fact that both players are left footed plus Podolski also left footed does not mean they cant play together, this is just Arsenal showing that they want to compete for the premiership next term.

Why do the press keep chasing Arsenal players away? all this stories about RVP leaving is just pushing the player out the Emirates gates. This has always been the lot of Arsenal from the media, when ever any Arsenal player has a spectacular season the next thing is he is leaving, from Anelka down to Cesc Fabrigas now RVP, I'm sure if Chamach has just one good season with Arsenal the media will link him with a move and continue to emphasize it there by unsettling the player.

My thoughts? Giroud to partner RVP at Arsenal next season.

GIROUD WILL CHOOSE HIS NEW CLUB AFTER THE EUROS

Rumour has it that Olivier Giroud will choose his prefered destination after Euro 2012 and has been silent on twitter.

I know Giroud and Arsenals Laurent Kosielny are good friends and are room mate in the French camp(like i heard) , but i really do hope that Kosielny would convince Giroud to turn out for the Gunners next season, i pray their friendship plays swing his signature Arsenal's way.

Olivier and Laurent were spotted together at the French open(picture above) and i find myself fantasizing about his arival at the Emirates Stadium, what a partner ship that would be, lining up alongside RVP in the Arsenal attack.
Spanish club, Malaga are also looking at signing Giroud and they can easily outbid us but i still have the feeling he would choose us over the Andalusia club. Athletico Madrid is the latest club to be linked with him, they dont stand a chance.

Do you think Giroud will be at Arsenal next season?

My thoughts?
Yep!

SHOULD ARSENAL SIGN AFELLAY?

Ibrahim Afellay is set to be cut loose by Barcelona, the Catalan club will listen to  offers from 6million Pounds for the former PSV schemer.

The signing of Afellay would represent a major coup for Arsenal because it would go a long way in convincing Robin Van Persie to stay at the club and truly show that we have ambitions. At 26 Ibrahim is approaching his peak and Robin has also said they connect very well for the national team as seen in the 6- 0 drubbing of Ireland by the Dutch.
Really, what was my beloved coach thinking last summer?

Afellay

Afellay should have been included in the deal that took Cesc Fabrigas to Barcelona, especially when the Catalans were struggling to meet Arsenal's price, (likewise Adam Johnson should have been in the deal that took $amir Cashri, sorry! Nasri to Manchester City).
Also signing Affelay would be payback for Arsenal as we would have signed one of their players just like they have always done to us.
Apart from payback, Afelley would give Arsenal solid depth on the field of play cos he can dribble his way through defences, he is very fast and has a stinger a shot.

Should Wenger sign Afellay?
My thoughts? HELL YEAH!

KOSIELNY WANTS YANN

Arsenal defender Laurent Kosielny has said his French compatriot Yann M'vila is tailor made for the English game

Yann M'vila

The midfielder has been linked with a move to the Emirate stadium for a long time now and Kosielny believes he would be a perfect fit and wants the M'vila to join him at Arsenal.

Arsenal have Francis Coquelin in their ranks and are looking to sign Yann M'vila, Arsenal are also looking at Ettiene Capoue as a backup incase the M'Vila deal falls throuh.

I do not see the need to sign the Rennes hard man because we have Coquelin who is very similar to him in playing style, we also have Emmanuel Frimpong and Henry Lansbury who is back after helping Norwich City and Westham United back to the premiership in back to back season long loans in the Champinship. No doubt Yann M'vila would be a massive hit at Arsenal but he would cost us in excess of 17million Pounds," money we can save if you ask me".

Francis Coquelin

I for one think Francis Coquelin is just a season away from the French national team provided he gets playing time at ARSENAL. If he gets playing time at Arsenal then he is sure to make it to the seniort national squad soonest.
If Arsene Wenger has to bring a midfielder in then i would prefer Ettiene Capoue. He would be our answer to Yaya Toure of Manchester city, lets face it, that beast of a player won the league for City.
Capoue would represent a type of player we lack at the Emirates right now or have not had since Viera and he would cost less than 10 million Pounds.

Ettiene Capoue

My thoughts? Ettiene Capoue.

ESKISEHIRASPOR PURSUE TOMAS ROSICKY

Thomas  Rpsicky is being pursued by Turkish club Eskisehiraspor.

With Arsenal looking to recruit new players this summer, Rosicky is mindful of how new recruits and the return of Jack Wilshere could push him further down the pecking order. Yossi Benayoun is on his way out of the club after his loan spell but there is still likely to be increased competition especially if Yann M'Vila does arrive at the Emirates. Rosicky enjoyed one of his best seasons last year and wants to stay but ambitious Turks Eskisehirspor, who are in the Europa League, want a high-profile name and will offer big terms. However, it will take a bigger name to prise him away from Arsenal as he wants to repay the club for having faith in him during difficult spells with injuries.

Wenger would not want to dispose Tomas just yet because he is a very important part of the squad , and with all the players the club is looking to release because of non activity, letting go of Tomas will just not make sense. Besides Jack Wilshere will just be returning from injury and might take some time to return to the level he was.
I also don't think the arrival of new midfield additions to the squad will not push Tomas down the pecking order because the English game is unique, it would take the new additions some time to adjust to the pace of English football.

My thoughts?  We also need his experience BADDLY.