Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini has been told he is surplus to requirements in North London but the Frenchman is demanding a bumper pay-off in order to leave in this summer’s window.
Flamini, who returned to Arsenal in 2013, has one-year remaining on his contract and is attracting the attention of Turkish giants Galatasaray and Ligue 1 outfit Bastia.
After losing his first-team spot to Francis Coquelin in the second-half of last season, Flamini has now been told he is free to leave- but the former AC Milan man wants the final year of his contract to be paid off if he is to leave, as per reports from Goal.
Flamini featured 32 times in all competitions last season but was an unused substitute in the weekend defeat to West Ham, with Coquelin chosen as the side’s defensive-midfielder.
Whilst Arsenal are short on numbers in this area, Flamini has been told he has no future in the club and Arsenal would prefer to see him leave this summer.
Allowing Flamini to leave would raise some eyebrows due to the lack of options in the middle, with Arsenal blessed with attacking players but not having anyone capable of filling in during Coquelin’s absence.
Arsenal fans would likely demand an incoming transfer if the first-team was to be reduced further, with only Petr Cech signed this summer and the likes of Lukas Podolski, Abou Diaby, Yaya Sanogo, Carl Jenkinson and Chuba Akpom all leaving.