There has been little mention of Mathieu Flamini leaving Arsenal this summer despite the whole world and his dog knowing that Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Flamini were all out of contract this summer. Matheiu was the only one of the three that actually featured in a few games last season and he wasn’t completely useless, and it seems that Wenger certainly hasn’t ruled out the idea.
Le Prof has made pronouncements on the departures of Rosicky and Arteta but has been strangely quiet on the subject of Flamini, but now it has been revealed in an intervew with a journalist in France that the negotiations are still ongoing between the two parties.
The only mention of the fact in his interview was: “While his contract expires in June, and its renewal is still under negotiation, he has already prepared for his “life after football” by investing a major part of his savings in a project that attempts to marry economy and ecology.
Arteta leaving has left a space in the holding midfield role, which has now been taken by Xhaka, and we also have Jack Wilshere returning to the squad after a year out, not to mention Ramsey, Cazorla and Coquelin (and maybe the Ox?) all vying for the two places in the middle of the park.
Do we really need to keep Flamini? And how likely is he to play if we do extend his contract?