Flamini set for Juve switch

zocoss SG

MATHIEU FLAMINI is on the brink of leaving Arsenal to join Juventus.

The French ace is out of contract in the summer and has been offered a new deal at the Emirates. But Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood admits he unsure about where Flamini's future lies.

He said: "We have made what we think is a pretty generous offer. "We are waiting to hear whether he will accept or not but you just don't know nowadays.

"You think players have a pretty good life but, somehow, someone persuades them the grass might be greener somewhere else. "So I don't know the answer, all I know is we think we have pushed the boat out."

Juventus director Jean-Claude Blanc insists his club can beat rivals AC Milan to capture Flamini. He said: "We have the advantage over Milan.

"As a child Flamini was a supporter of Juve. "We also have a sporting project in place and we will be in the Champions League. Milan will not."

uncle_abc SG

good....

then arsenal is going down..

next year will be a two-horse race, Man Utd and chelski

zocoss SG

Internazionale coach Roberto Mancini has confirmed Arsenal ace Alexander Hleb is one of his summer transfer targets. Hleb has been continually linked with a possible summer switch to Inter in the last months after reports emerged that the Belarus midfielder and an agent had met with Inter officials last month.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has spoken of his fears of losing the talented midfielder with Hleb having just two years to run on his current contract at Emirates Stadium. Inter boss Roberton Mancini is a big admirer of Hleb and he says the Arsenal man along with Genoa's Abdoulay Konko and Udinese's Gokhan Inler are on his transfer wish-list. "We have already spoken about the players we would like to sign," Mancini told the Corriere dello Sport. "We are interested in Hleb, Inler and Konko."

Wenger admitted he is keen to keep hold of his best players, but he could face a major fight to hang onto Hleb, who will miss Arsenal's last three games of the season through suspension. Meanwhile, Mancini has played down reports of unrest between himself and Inter president Massimo Moratti.

Mancini's position at the club has been the subject of debate with reports suggesting Inter have lined up a move for former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho to replace him at Giuseppe Meazza. However, Mancini has played down the rumours and insists he has no problem with Moratti. "Between me and Moratti there are no problems and everything is quiet," added Mancini.

zocoss SG

Arsene: Trio are my top priority

ARSENE WENGER has admitted his first job this summer is to keep hold of Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini. Arsenal’s attempts to land the Premier League title and Champions League crown have crashed and burned in recent weeks.

Fans are desperate for Wenger to splash the cash this summer and lure some big names to the club. But the French boss maintains his young squad does not need major surgery. Wenger said: “There is money but not as much as I read about because that is not true.

“However, with my financial package, the first thing I have to make sure is we keep the players we have. People forget that. “My first target of the summer is to make sure what we have here stays here and after, if there is still money available, to buy players.”

Spanish midfield ace Fabregas, 20, is one of Europe’s hottest properties. Inter Milan target Hleb, 26, will not play again until next season after copping a three-game ban for violent conduct while Juventus want out-of-contract Mathieu Flamini, 24.

Wenger has been linked with several stars, including Palermo’s Brazilian striker Amauri, Lyon’s £12million-rated winger Hatem Ben Arfa and Valencia forward David Villa. The Emirates boss added: “Who we will buy in the summer is not decided yet. “This team has a tremendous future. Maybe we must add a bit of experience to that but we have done the main job.”