maybe so, but until he signs on that dotted line i'll keep dreaming he'll forever be a Gooner

Sagna is about to be offered a long term contract extension and improved wages. Hopefully keeping him around for another 5 years till his 30th birthday.

On Milan official website

MILANO - L'A.C. Milan comunica di aver stipulato un contratto che legherà il calciatore francese Mathieu Flamini alla società rossonera dal 1' luglio 2008 al 30 giugno 2012.


Its been on there for about a minute so it isnt been translated into English yet

If any of our Italian members want to translate feel free but i think we know what its saying.

Milan announced that he had signed a contract that will bind the French player Mathieu Flamini to society rossonera from 1 'in July 2008 to 30 June 2012.

Just got the text off Arsenal.com

"Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini has signed a four-year contract with AC Milan after passing a medical."

sad day

I was always afraid he would leave for the money, even back in January when the squad was firing on all cylinders. Loyalty is one of those things that has gone from the world of sports.

Look for bids for Jean II Makoun and/or Michael Johnson soon.

Johnson isn't good enough in my opinion.

I think he is, i think hes a very good player.

Jean II Makoun has been heavily linked with Arsenal your right Smurfy rumours today we were looking to bring him to Spurs, by trying to convince him he'll play more at Tottenham than he would at Arsenal.

Personnaly i think Johnson would be a class signing for you guys, he can defend when needed he can attack when needed a well rounded player who probably will be one of the only English players worth the money paid for him, im thinking around about 8 million. Alot yes but i think hes worth it especially if Bents fee could rise to 16.5mil.

This is one of the most outrageous rumors I've seen, but decided to post it for discussion purposes.

It simply won't happen...

Well consider what the other big clubs have in that position.

Mascherano, Alonso, Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves, Essien, Mikel, Makalele.

Do you think Johnson stacks up to those guys? I don't. Johnson isn't even better than Gilberto.

Well considering hes only just turned 20 years of age and has only made 32 premier league apperances for Manchester City hes at that point where you cant only judge on what you think he will become and i think he will be a very talented player. He made a huge impact at the start of the season but faded away in the second half due to an injury which kept him out for about 6 weeks.

We will have to wait and see you may be right but i think hed suits Arsenals style of play and i think hes a very talented footballer.

Johnson is better than Gilberto for sure.

If there is one person out there that can make Johnson equal to those players stated above; it's undoubtedly Arsene Wenger. And as YoBBo says, he's only 20, so he still has a lot to learn and improve in his game. And who's better to teach him than Wenger.

If Wenger brings him in, he'll train him and teach him this coming season, and next year he'll be a force.

I would 'lol' if the Arsenal side was torn apart in the summer with Flamini, Fabregas and Hleb all leaving. Luckily for you it won't happen - especially not Cesc... he's loyal to Wenger. I don't even think Hleb will go either.

I think Johnson has been better then Mikel this season and at a push you could say scholes and Carrick aswell.

I second that.
Very disappointed with Flamini's decision indeed.I mean how could he leave for a club that Arsenal are superior to.Of course it was for the money but how much more were they offering?
I am really gutted to hear that news,he had a fantastic season and a big piece of his play was what Arsenal needed.Diarra leaving is even more sad now,because he would have slotted right into that position and would be even better than Flamini . Michael johnson has no way of playing for Arsenal , he doesn't have the qualities for that team. Don't know much about Makoun to be honest. Wenger has proven that he always picks the right players,but what is troubling to me is that it seems players are loosing faith in the system after Wenger has made them stars.Arsenal need to do something about there salary cap and bring it in line with the other top clubs.What i fear happening is that Arsenal becomes a farm team for the likes of Barcelona ,ac milan and real madrid.They lost Henry ,Vieira and reyes and now Flamini.Make no mistake about it , based on that It's obvious that these super teams know that Arsenal are a supreme team ,but their weakness is not having the funds to keep their best players.

I got a confession.I have been a Chelsea fan since the 70's, not as hardcore in the last 15 but still rooted for them agains every team they played against other teams that was until Wenger took over at Arsenal.The style of play kind of reminded me of why i fell in love with Chelsea back then with the likes of Hutchinson,Cooke,Hudson,McCreadie etc. Aliaksandr Hleb is the only player ever to make me buy a shirt other than Bristol City or Chelsea.Not being able to find a belarus shirt with his name had a lot to do with also,but that's how much a rate that player.The point is if he leaves Arsenal i would be absolutely gutted ,more so than even when Henry left and that is saying something.
Hleb is the type of player Arsenal should base their team around he is irreplaceable.Every other player on that team can be replaced with other players ,but Hleb is unique in ways i have stated earlier.

The image that stains my brain is watching Cesc ,Hleb and flamini joking around at the Everton game like business as usual.

Ok noted.
Wrong about him not worth 6 mil though ,nay player Wenger buys from a rival is worth at least 6 mil because he never does it it.He saw something special in that Player ,but Diarra was sh*t scared of not getting enough playing time to be selected for France.He showed great promise with his limited time at Chelsea.Look at him now and he's worth 20 mil based on how he controlled the mid filed in the win over Man U. He's a 20 mil player in the offing i'll bet my house on that.If carrick can get 15 he's worth 25 mil at least.

Let me destroy the above.

First off who's a better striker than him right that's available/
Doesn't have a footballing brain,that's a mighty strange comment.That man is pure footballing desire.
First of all he won't be played out of position like he is at Newcastle ,he is a pure front man make no mistake.Just look at the goals he's scored ,basically drogbaesque,he makes something from nothing.I can't remember when he even got an assist from that garbage Newcastle call a midfield.That's the role Wenger would use him,along side Adebayor or Van pirsie.

You say you personally love Martins ,but i doubt that very much ,because if that were the case ,were was the outrage when Owen couldn't buy a goal ,martins was top scorer and keegan kept him on the bench.
That was unforgiveable and Martins should leave based on that alone.I know that the majority of Newcastle fans love that player and so they should,but are they willing to put him on the filed ahead of Owen?Because he's a better player hands down.

There isn't a person on the planet but Oba himself that can convince me that the only reason Martins is playing is because he would leave the club in the Summer.And just imagine Owen get's injured again early in next season and martins is forced to pay for another team.Te very fact that Wenger eyed Martins in the past should tell you that there is nothing wrong with Martins Footballing brain.

Destroy?

You havnt watched many Newcastle games. I can tell. You should stick to NFL mate.
The reason he was on the bench for a few weeks is because he had a knee injury. I could name about 10 stikers that are available to a team like Arsenal that are better then him (want names?). As i said before he doesnt have a footballing brain (im not the only one on here that has that opinion). I see him play every week, i guess you dont. I dont just watch the highlights. In highlights of games you dont see the amount of times he gives the ball away. However, he is much better under keegan, and i cant see him leaving the club in the summer. If he does then we will have to replace him. Im sure we could find a much more clinical striker then Oba. But as you have pointed out (i think) he also offers the team alot with his workrate. Thats why he is loved, not because he scores all them goals.
I find it very funny how you dont think there is a problem with how Martins reads the game. Over the last 2 years i have watched him play more then you. I have also stated that im a big Oba fan, so why would i make something up like that?? Doesnt make sense.
Under Wenger there is no doubt that Oba could be an amazing player, but that wont happen straight away. I would be gutted if he left but your opinion of him is a lil bit high.
I think i know your problem mate. Your in love with Oba. Awwwwwww

I think you've been reading some of my older posts. I was adamant that Diarra was the perfect 'replacement' for Flamini. Same type of player, great worth ethic, a force in the middle as a holding midfielder with a bit of vision of going forward when needed. We had a player that could slot in and take Fabregas' spot in-case he got injured (Hleb); but when Diarra left, we lost that player that could slot in and take Flamini's spot.

I'm sure that is why Wenger brought Diarra in in the first place, knowing that Flamini's contract was up and there was no guarantee he would resign. Unfortunately for us and Diarra as well, is that Diarra wasn't willing to take that risk and wait a year, and wait for Flamini to potentially leave to get his playing time. Right now with Flamini gone, we all know that if Diarra stuck around, he'd be starting next year next to Fabregas.

Losing/selling Henry, Vieira and Reyes was all strategic. Wenger knows exactly when he needs to sell an older player. Vieira hasn't been the same since leaving, Henry hasn't been the same, Reyes was a bit of a bust here and he wanted to go back to Spain.