Mathieu Flamini is set to snub Arsenal’s contract offer and join Juventus on a free transfer in the summer according to French newspaper L’Equipe. The Gunners defensive midfielder, whose father is Italian, has yet to sign a new deal at the north London club and is willing to explore other options if Arsenal don’t meet his wage demands. It would not be the first time Flamini has walked out on a club and it would not be the first time he’s used the French media to plant a story either. Flamini snubbed a new deal at Marseille, the club who educated him as a youth, knowing full well that FIFA regulations stated they would only receive ‘training compensation’ for the player and not a full transfer fee, leaving him free to significantly increase his earnings at Arsenal. Those earnings however aren’t enough now that he has become a regular in Arsene Wengers midfield and it is rumoured he is asking for £75,000 a week to put him on a par with the clubs top earners.

The L’Equipe report claims Flamini has already agreed terms with Juventus but Arsenal fans need not despair just yet, he is a very shrewd operator in the transfer market and has used the French papers before to get what he wants. Just last season he personally touted a story about buying himself out of his remaining year at Arsenal and moving abroad to L’Equipe, France Football and Gazzetta dello sport, even going so far as to veto Gazzetta’s proposed headline. This resulted in a personal request from Arsene Wenger to stay at the club and an assurance that he would be given more chances especially in his prefered midfield role. Whether he is dangling the Juve transfer in front of Arsenal as bait or vice versa, he is certain to earn himself a bumper deal this summer.