Flamini: yet to put pen to
paper on a four-year contract.
While Arsenal have been buoyed by the news that
both Fran Merida and Manuel Almunia have agreed new long-term deals
with the club, concern is growing at the Emirates over their
inability to reach a similar agreement with Mathieu
Flamini.
After months of wrangling, the Frenchman has still yet to put
pen to paper on a four-year contract extension believed to be worth
in the region of £50,000-a-week. Time is certainly pressing with
his current deal due to run out at the end of the season.
Even Cesc Fabregas, with whom Flamini has formed a formidable
partnership this season, has joined Arsene Wenger in calling for
the player to sign. "I keep telling him to sign it quick, because
we need him, but he is concentrating on football at the moment,"
the Spaniard said. "We are still going for two titles, so right now
everything else is not so important. Of course he wants to know
where he will be next season, but we all hope he will be with
us."
Both Inter and AC Milan have been linked with a move for Flamini
this week, and his departure would be a nightmare scenario for
Wenger who is expected to let Gilberto Silva depart in the summer
after selling another midfielder, Lassana Diarra, in January.
Almunia, meanwhile, has expressed his desire to finish his
career at Arsenal after committing himself to the club. "I am very
happy. I have extended my contract and I hope to be here for a
long, long time," he said. "I talked to my wife and I said I did
not want to go back to Spain to play. Hopefully I can finish my
career here."
Merida's contract extension was revealed by Arsene Wenger on
Thursday with the Gunners boss describing the youngster, currently
on loan at Real Sociedad, as "absolutely amazing player".