Goodbye, Flamini

"Flamini can earn more somewhere else that is for sure because it would be a free transfer - but how much is he ready to sacrifice to stay here?"

- Arsene Wenger with a variation on "how long is a piece of string?"

A long time ago, on a website far, far away, I said that selling Diarra and keeping Flamini would all end in tears. And it looks like my prediction is coming true.

How did it come to this? At the start of the season, Diarra, Flamini, Gilberto, Denilson, Diaby and *ahem* Song, were all queuing up like randy suitors to ask Fabregas to the ball. And now? Because we plumped for the ugliest, most money-grubbing midfielder, we're going to be left standing alone on the dance floor while other sides are slow-dancing to "Time Of Our Lives". We'll be watching Carrick tangoing with Anderson, or Essien and Lampard and Ballack groping each other in a darkened corner, and... I should stop with the dance partner analogy, shouldn't I?

Wenger says:

"There is something in this team which is stronger than a few bucks here and there. What is really important is that this team says 'lets go to the end of our potential together and not walk out for any simpler reason' - and that is where I expect them to show strength, and care what they can achieve together. We are not any more in a period where you get £100 more at another club and it decides your life."

Part of me wants to ask Wenger whether HIS desire to keep this team together is worth more than "a few bucks here and there". Flamini fits in very well with our side, and it'll be difficult to find another player who could do his job. It could be the difference between challenging for the title next year, and winning it. But I understand his doubts about Flamini and his desire keep the wage structure. I wouldn't want to pay 70,000 a week for him either.

Anyway, I've two points:

1/ Flamini is really, really ugly.

2/ Flamini is really, really greedy.

Wenger knows this, and I think he's resigned to the fact that Flamini will move to a club that matches his greed and his countenance. Juventus are the club of the establishment, of old money, of greedy, ugly, inbred high society. Because of the free transfer, Juve are in a position to pay much more than we are (although, he came to us for free as well). And I'm sure he'll fit right in. That's very bitter, isn't it?

Goodbye Flamini, and thanks for all the fish.