Ah, so we may get some money for Hleb after all…
Add comment May 14th, 2008
Aleksandr Hleb doesn’t want to leave Arsenal to win trophies. He doesn’t want to leave for more money. He doesn’t even want to leave because all the players pick on him and say he smells. He wants to leave, his agent would have you believe, because he doesn’t like the hustle and bustle of the city:
“There are no problems with regard to his playing opportunities. Aleksandr is just tired of the noisy and chaotic life in the British capital and feels like living in calmer surroundings.”
Poor frightened Alex, all alone in the big smoke. I hope he finds peace one more in the tiny rural villages of Milan, Madrid, or Barcelona.
What a load of bollocks. I don’t hold Flamini’s move to Milan against him, primarily because we never had to put up with this kind of obscene excuse-making.
At least we might now get a bit of cash for him if he goes:
“In any case I can say simply that Alexander will not buy out the remaining part of his five-year contract for a fixed sum of his sale. Hleb is a gentleman and will not stoop to that level. Everything will be done properly.
I am sure that the situation surrounding this issue will finally be resolved in the next 10 days.”
Whilst it would only have cost around £3m to buy out his contract, he would surely fetch at least the £10m we paid for him on the market. My hunch is still that Hleb will go. If he stays, re-endearing himself to the fans is going to be a big job. I guess he could do it with the goals he scores… Oh.
Arsene has been speaking about our two crocked strikers: Eduardo and Van Persie. Of the Dutchman, he says:
“You always hope that next season Robin will have an injury-free season. He has so much talent so I am very keen to keep him, I trust him and I hope that he will get rid of his injuries.”
When Van Persie is involved, fitness is truly something you hope for rather than expect. As Arsene points out, technically he is of course “World Class”. But physically, he leaves plenty to be desired. It’s arguably not a handy distribution of assets. Take Emmanuel Adebayor – not particularly technically gifted, but possesses remarkable physical attributes. One of those two strikers scored thirty goals this season. We all know which.
Van Persie is at a point where his injuries are clearly down to far more than bad luck. The way in which Arsene rotates him next season could be essential to having him available at critical points in the season.
Last night I attended the filming of the Cesc Fabregas Show, and it was a good laugh. It’s also safe to say I’ll never stand that close to Arsene Wenger again. I might do a full-length write-up closer to the date when the show airs.
If the interviews with Cesc, his family, and Arsene demonstrated anything, it’s the value of hard work. Cesc is a gifted young man, but would not be anywhere without the extraordinary work ethic we’re lucky enough to have on our side every week. It’s something that’s particularly poignant for me at the moment – whatever field you’re in, you have to give it your absolute utmost if you wish to succeed.
So get back to work, slackers.
