Gilberto departure leaves Wenger short on options

ARSENE WENGER has been left with another gap to fill in his depleted midfield following confirmation yesterday that veteran Brazilian Gilberto Silva has joined Greek side Panathinaikos.

The departure of the long-serving 31-year-old World Cup winner came a day after the sale of unsettled Alexander Hleb to Barcelona.

With the combative Mathieu Flamini having also left on a free transfer to AC Milan at the end of last season, Wenger must now rebuild the heartbeat of a team which set the early pace in the Premier League last season before eventually fading out of the title race.

The arrival of promising Wales teenager Aaron Ramsey, from Cardiff for £5million (€6.3m), is another sign of Wenger’s faith in youth.

However, there is no doubt the Gunners still need some experience in the middle of the park if they are to mount another assault on domestic and European honours next season.

Samri Nasri, a £12m (€15.1m) summer recruit from Marseille, is more of a wide, attacking player and, although Abou Diaby would relish the chance of cementing his place alongside Euro 2008 winner Cesc Fabregas at the heartbeat of the Arsenal team, Wenger will, as ever, have a back-up plan in mind.

That could yet be a move for Aston Villa’s unsettled England midfielder Gareth Barry – although highly unlikely to be for the £18m (€22.7m) which the midlands club have insisted on during their dealings with Liverpool.

Arsenal’s own valuation, meanwhile, of Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor seems to have fended off the interest of AC Milan, who declared their transfer dealings done for the summer following the capture of Ronaldinho.

The 24-year-old – who finished top scorer last season with 30 goals – is set to join up with the rest of the Arsenal squad on Monday when they head out to Austria for a pre-season training camp.

Wenger is an admirer of Russian playmaker Andrei Arshavin, whose future could well be in England after Hleb’s arrival at the Nou Camp.

However, any interested suitors would have to first meet Zenit St Petersburg’s £24m (€30m) asking price.

The 27-year-old, though, has his mind set on a fresh challenge following a staring role for Russia at Euro 2008.

“I am not going to stay,” he said. “I have taken a decision and (Zenit boss Dick) Advocaat knows it’s certain I’ll leave.

“I don’t know if I’m going to London but I have made my desires very clear. It is not a question of money but of sporting ambition. I want to play in a big league.”