Wenger’s focus is good of the club, not players’ ambitions

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has warned any player who may be contemplating their Arsenal future that “what is good for the club” will always come first.

Alexander Hleb’s agent claims the Belarus winger will leave this summer, amid suggestions he is ready to buy out his contract to sign for Inter.

French midfielder Mathieu Flamini has already walked out on a free transfer, joining AC Milan.

Wenger, however, maintains individual desires will always play second fiddle to the bigger picture.

“I have a responsibility, it is not what I like, it is not what the players like, it is what is good for the club. That’s the only decision I will make,” Wenger said.

Wenger also suggested talk of players like Hleb buying out the remainder of their contract under new FIFA guidelines – following the test case of Andy Webster in Scotland – was not as straightforward as has been made out.

“That is not as simple as it looks, this ‘Webster clause’,” said Wenger.

“You can’t come in the next day and buy out. There is no rule at all that says what it is about.

“You have to go to tribunal, to go first to FIFA, and if you don’t agree with FIFA you have to go to CAS (the Court of Arbitration for Sport).

“It takes a lots of months. You (the player) can be banned for the whole period if it is not done in a proper way.”

Wenger – whose third-placed side travel to Sunderland for their final game of the season tomorrow – insisted maintaining the right footballing “values” must always come first.

He said: “What is a big club? Is it only down to trophies? This club here has a history of being built by people of values.

“For me that is a big club, a club that comes out of people’s desire to respect values.

“They may say this manager didn’t win enough trophies, but the club has kept its reputation within the values for the whole history. That is vital.”

Despite the doom-mongers already predicting a player exodus and a bleak future, Wenger insists he is not short of options to strengthen his squad this summer.

“There are plenty of players who want to join us, don’t worry, we have no problem on that front,” he said.

Wenger added: “What we need next year is two or three players maybe. We need talent.

“I think a huge player is better than a huge name. You have huge names who produce very little at the moment.

“But don’t worry, we will have a team to compete for the championship next year.”

While the Arsenal manager was disappointed with Flamini’s exit, it is not something which he will lose sleep over.

“For me its not a problem, I wish him well – thanks for the services, lets go on and focus on what’s important for this club and the players who want to stay here,” he said.

One player set to remain, however, is Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who yesterday rejected as “rubbish” reports that he was after a big pay increase or would quit the club.