Sport

Makoun set to fill Flamini's boots
by Laurent Picard, 04 May 2008

Makoun: Might fill Flamini's boots.

Mathieu Flamini’s replacement at Arsenal could be Jean II Makoun, according to the player's agent.

Jean-Christophe Thouvenel has exclusively told setantasports.com that the Lille midfielder is 'on The Gunners' short-list' if Flamini leaves the North London club this summer.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has declared that the France international will sign a four-year contract with the Rossoneri on Sunday night, and as a consequence Arsene Wenger will surely look at options to replace his key man.

Highly rated Makoun is also reportedly wanted by Tottenham, as the Cameroon international has built a superb reputation in Ligue 1 having played terrific football in the last three seasons.

“Makoun is on Arsenal’s short-list if Flamini leaves,” Thouvenel told setantasports.com.

“It is planned that he leaves LOSC when the season ends and moving to England is part of his objective.

“I can tell you for sure that Jean II is appreciated by Arsene Wenger but the transfer period has not started yet so I will not lie: negotiations are yet to start.

“He is not the only one on Arsenal’s list.

“He is short and not a monster but his involvement on the pitch is huge and he is a fighter.

“Tottenham are also interested in the midfielder and I believe that (sporting director) Damien Comolli is an admirer of Jean II.”

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olawale - 06 May 2008 17:31: one thing i want is that i want arsene wenger should pls to buy replacement for the player he sold.bcos we fans we are facing the shame all around the world.; Report this to a moderator

ross - 06 May 2008 04:37: Dan, the point is if you give Flamini the extra 3.1 million over 4 years then you will have 10 others in the squad wanting an extra 3.1 million = 31 million more in player wages over 4 years. Bottom line is it would of been good to keep him but Arsenal wont be held ranson for player wage increases as it would send our club broke after the Emirates move. Once the stadium is paid off well then it will be a different story.; Report this to a moderator

Josh - 05 May 2008 13:17: the figures that are being talked about are adding up to £7.5m a year! hes now going to be given a four year contract with Milan, which means they will be paying £30m over four years for a player that is supposidly 'free'. yea, hes a quality player, but would any arsenal fan with some sort of consciousness of our current financial situation be able to justify every paying flamini money like that? no is the answer. we cant afford it, and thats the truth. our team wont fall apart because flaminis gone. we'll buy another no name and make him into the 'new flamini'. just like we did with clichy when cole went. theres always another golden signing for the prof. problem is that they have to settle, and its a bit of a risk as to whether they will be good enough to win us the trophies. gotta trust arsene really. i just can wait for ouur bloody stadium to be paid off. then we can start using at that £3m a game gate revenues to good effect. and im sure arsenes desperate for that day too...; Report this to a moderator

Josh - 05 May 2008 13:07: the figures that are being talked about are adding up to £7.5m a year! hes now going to be given a four year contract with Milan, which means they will be paying £30m over four years for a player that is supposidly 'free'. yea, hes a quality player, but would any arsenal fan with some sort of consciousness of our current financial situation be able to justify every paying flamini money like that? no is the answer. we cant afford it, and thats the truth. our team wont fall apart because flaminis gone. we'll buy another no name and make him into the 'new flamini'. just like we did with clichy when cole went. theres always another golden signing for the prof. problem is that they have to settle, and its a bit of a risk as to whether they will be good enough to win us the trophies. gotta trust arsene really. i just can wait for ouur bloody stadium to be paid off. then we can start using at that £3m a game gate revenues to good effect. and im sure arsenes desperate for that day too...; Report this to a moderator

Dan - 05 May 2008 13:01: Why don't ye just get Gattuso off Milan as he is obviously leaving now that Flamini has signed for Milan and he has stated his desire to come to england after falling out with the manager. Utd and Chelsea are already well covered in those positions so there will be no competition from the big clubs giving you a fairly easy task of signing him. He is suited to the premier league and wll add steel behind fabregas. Actually i hope ye don't get him as that would be a serious midfield partnership and better than the current one.; Report this to a moderator

SW16Gooner - 05 May 2008 12:49: Flamini has put money before career. He has had one good season and so thinks that he can command a salary three times that offered by Arsene. No way! His loss is a headache, yes, but not because we lose Flamini but because Arsene now has to fill a position that he thought was already sorted. But fill it he will, because Flamini isn't the only player in the world who can play in that position! Just think, next season, we will see Flamini's replacement - another Arsene gem - commanding all before him on the pitch, while Flamini himself languishes on the bench at AC Milan. So who will be the loser? Not Arsenal.; Report this to a moderator

Steve - 05 May 2008 12:06: But if they pay Flamini the extra 15k per week then there are probably 8 others who would immediately ask for an increase - then you are talking serious money. The pay bands have to be maintained.; Report this to a moderator

Si - 05 May 2008 09:25: I think to cover the signing on fee - it's much more than 15k that's needed - I've heard that he's new salary+fee is around 110k+ - Wenger doesn't thinks he's worth that money. Arseal have only paid Hnery anything approaching that. I'm a fan of Flamini - he should have been tied into a contract last season - but it wasn't to be...; Report this to a moderator

TrueGunner - 05 May 2008 07:00: From the guys description seems he could feel Flamini's boots. If he is a fighter then get him on board. We need David Villa too before rivals lay hands on him and we go trophyless again!!! Villa could offer the inspirational leadersship qualities needed in the absence of RVP and Fabregase besides vast experience he has at his tender age.; Report this to a moderator

Josh - 05 May 2008 01:00: Perfect replacement is a youngster from australia Mark Milligan...he will be the future aussie captain and his passing range with both feet is second to none, great vision and unbelievable versatility (he can play anywhere across the backline and as a centre midfielder, he can also tackle superbly) one for the future and rumour has it arsenal amonst other premierleague managers are very interested!!!!; Report this to a moderator

Sam - 05 May 2008 00:34: I am guessing Lehmann and Gilberto are both leaving and both are on lets say around 40k a week. So that means 80k is made available in wages, therefore surely Wenger could add an extra 15 k to Flamini's deal, yet I can not really be that angry at Wenger in this situation as he found Flamini unwanted and released for personal problems at marsielle. I would prefer to sign Lyon's excellent young midfielder Jeremy Toulalan who controlled the England friendly alongside Makelele. Yet can we afford him? Wenger please sign this Toulalan instead his ability on the ball is a lot better than Makoun. I believe it depends on want we want more a stong destructive player like Makoun or a classy, controller of the game like Toulalan.; Report this to a moderator

vincent - 04 May 2008 23:08: i,support prof. wenger all the way. come to think of it, this player is shameless, he couldn't help arsenal to win anything this season just like last season and here you are asking for apay rise, how do you justify such an action?,we lost this league because some of this players lack concentration when it matters most. i think these players are over rated and celebrated. arsenal can do without a flamini if it has survived without a henry. so profs, no pay rise for any of these players because they brought nothing to arsenal as usual this season.; Report this to a moderator

Dax - 04 May 2008 22:49: Dan, you are correct on the math, however, I don't think Wenger was ever particularly high on Flamini. It's true Flamini had a breakthrough season this year, but remember Wenger almost dumped him last year and earlier this season he was tinkering around with other players at that position.; Report this to a moderator

ERIK - 04 May 2008 22:02: IM LIVERPOOL FAN,I LYKE ARSENAL FLAMINI IS FANTASTIC PLAYA WENGER SHOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE HE GO WENGER SOLD BEST PLAYA LYKE PETIT VEIRA HENRY OVERMARS ANELKA BOA MORTE U BULIDING THE TEAM NOT SELL TEAM CLUB. 1 TYM THEY WERE NOTORIOUS TEAM I KNOW IT ALL ABOUT MONEY THESE DAY BUT WENGER IS NOT IDIOT; Report this to a moderator

Guy - 04 May 2008 21:59: Another homegrown talent to add to Arsenals backbone.......; Report this to a moderator

Dan - 04 May 2008 20:22: Fair points lads about everyone else coming in looking for a payrise, I suppose there has to be discipline with the wage structure or you will run into player unrest somewhere down the line. Its nice for once to come back onto a post and see intelligent responses to genuine questions instead of the usual wind up merchants. I am just trying to learn the reasons why this happens for when this inevitably comes around to someone at my club some time in the future and it almost did with Brown. I don't like Wenger naturally as a Utd supporter but I have to say I respect him above all other managers out there as he knows how to run a football club in the right way.; Report this to a moderator

Arranblonde - 04 May 2008 20:14: From the reports I've read, the difference was not £10K per week (i.e. half a million quid a year) but substantially more - as he can leave on a free he was looking to get the transfer fee paid to him as wages - this might be OK for Milan but not for Arsenal. This is a real shame as I like Flamini as a player. Always full of running, good range of passing and can tackle. He's also flexible (playing as an emergency left back a few seasons ago). Still, Arsene knows and perhaps now is the time for Diaby, Dennilson or Song to step up should he decide not to purchase in the summer (what are the chances eh?).; Report this to a moderator

Chris - 04 May 2008 19:39: Not being an expert myself, presumably if they were to pay Flamini the extra 15k a week, there would be a few more players knocking on Mr Wengers door asking for a payrise..........one thing I would like to comment on though is Flamini has only really had one good season, and now has a chance to get bucket loads of cash based on that one good season, maybe he is worried that his form at Arsenal will not carry on and will return to being Hoytes bench buddy!!!!!; Report this to a moderator

asyd - 04 May 2008 19:37: dan u must understand that, once u break a wage structure, every player will come knocking at your door to much the wages of a colleague and that is not what we want at the moment. For example, if u pay flamini that much (who was not even in the team of the year), how much do you thing clichy will demand (being in the team of the year) or even ade, who has score 30 there about goals!!!!!!!!!. if that happens u end up spending more enit? remember arsene is a professor o.k.a.y in economics if i may add....; Report this to a moderator

Dan - 04 May 2008 19:15: As a Man Utd fan I know its not much of my business what Arsenal do but can anyone explain to me why Arsene Wenger would let Flamini go for the sake of lets say 10k-15k pounds a week in wages when they will have to spend 7-8 million or more on transfer fees on a replacement and similar wages if they are to get a decent replacement and its no guarantee that player will settle well or fast. So by my reckoning if Arsenal gave Flamini 70k a week as opposed to 55k (if figures quoted are correct) on a 4 year deal. Thats 3.1million extra to keep him and 14.5 million total for the contract but if they buy makoun(unproven etc) for 7 million or so and pay him say 40k a week wages thats 8.3 million in wages and 7 million in transfer fees i.e 15.3 million total and you are taking the chance he will not be as good as Flamini which he probably wont be, especially in his first season. Maybe there is a tax reason I'm missing etc, as I'm sure Wenger knows more than I do about football business,; Report this to a moderator

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Makoun set to fill Flamini's boots
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Makoun set to fill Flamini's bootsby Laurent Picard, 04 May 2008

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Makoun set to fill Flamini's boots
by Laurent Picard, 04 May 2008