Flamini, Hleb, Gilberto Silva, Fabregas, Theo, Gallas? A few thoughts on Arsenal’s Exodus

By: Rob | May 7th, 2008

Arsene can’t believe his luck The surprise success story of the season, both in the EPL and the Champions League, Most people doubted Arsenal’s ability to qualify for the CL this season, let alone lead the EPL for most of the season, and beat Milan in the San Siro. Looking at thier squad now, you would think, a couple of signings and they ould have the squad depth to really challenge this time next year.

But Arsene Wenger is facing an exodus at the Emirates. Flamini has alredy gone to Milan, Arsenal unable to offer him a contract anywhere in the region that the Italian giants could. In similar fashion, Hleb is being courted by Inter and they must feel they really stand a chance of getting him as it seems they have made him Number 1 transfer target this summer – a long term replacement for the ageing Luis Figo. So the last thing Arsene Wenger wanted to hear today is that his young talisman, Francesc Fabregas is being courted again by Real Madrid.

Real President Roman Calderon has announced that

“Cesc is Spanish, and one of my first objectives is to make Real Madrid more Spanish”

Seeing as Real were talking about making a 100m bid for Cristiano Ronaldo a couple of months ago, its not thought that – even though the side is supposedly in debt – money is a big issue.
Fabregas is of course on an ever-lasting contract (pretty much), so Real would have to table alot of money. Fabregas has previously played down talk of him going back to Spain, but his closest friends – Hleb and Flamini, the latter he rooms with on away days – are edging towards the door. Maybe El Cesc will decide the time is right.

Arsene was probably expecting a minor exodus this season – Gilberto Silva was expected to go after he lost his place to Flamini, and Jens Lehmann was going to be shown the door after he lost his place in the starting XI. But a major exodus like this is threatning his best laid plans.

There’s also been rumours in the French press of Captain William Gallas, who seems to be on a mission to make himself the least liked man in London, leaving the club in the summer. English winger Theo Wallcott, who has finally shown the promise Sven Goran Eriksson once saw in him, is threatning to go if he doesn’t get in the first team more reguarly. (Frankly I’d leave if Emmanuel Eboue was keeping me out the side).

Wenger has of course rebuilt his sides before – his side now is completely different from his ‘Invincibles’ team of a few years ago. But this time it seems there is a geniune sea-change, something to challenge what Wenger calls his “paradise for young footballers“. He has built this side carefully from young players who he picked up round the world and gave them a chance.

But maybe his outlook might change. What, other than making the club substantially richer from transfer fees, is the benifit for him of finding a young player, devoloping him from a young age and giving him a chance to play in the EPL, and then as soon as he shows his promise, having to let him go off abroad because they can’t deal with the wage prices. And with the added problem of the dreaded Webster Clause hanging over everybody, Arsenal will have to put thier young players on giant long contracts (like Fabregas is) just to stop them buying thier way out themselves.

There has been signs of course that in the last few years he’s begining to change his mind about not spending in the transfer window. He spent big on Eduardo last year, and the year before bought the impressive Tomas Rosicky. Rosicky is always injured however, and Eduardo of course suffered a horrifying injury which he may never come back from.

Man United of course had big success in the early-90s bringing through a clutch of talented youngsters (Gary Neville, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs..er…Nicky Butt) but they had the advantage that they either held onto them for a substantial amount of time or they still have them. Its not working that way for Arsene because of his wage structure.

So what is next for Arsenal? If he does sell some or all of the players, it will give him money to spend in this transfer window. And who knows what kind of magic he has in his youth side (The Offside knows) to replace them? The future has looked so bright for Arsenal this season – and they’ve played such beautiful football, it really would be a shame if the side departed and Arsene had to start again.

Of course there is also the small matter of Euro 2008, where most of the Arsenal team will have a chance to really put themselves on the market if they want to go (I’ll say except Theo, before one of you guys does), which could make this Arsene’s worst summer.