5 Reasons Arsenal Should Give Mathieu Flamini New Contract

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2. Flamini loves Arsenal

I bring up this point a lot for many of Arsenal’s players. There is a difference between signing a player to a squad and just letting him play and signing a player that agrees and loves the culture there and becomes a part of it. Flamini is the latter. He first came to the team in 2004, rejecting a long-term deal from Marseille. Flamini became a very useful utility player, including deputizing at left back against Barcelona in the Champions League.

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When he left for Milan, Flamini had this to say: “Arsenal are in my heart and they will be in my heart for ever. I will always be an Arsenal fan and leaving was not easy. I miss my team-mates. I’m very happy at Milan but after four years at Arsenal we had very strong partnerships and it’s normal to miss your team-mates,” via BBC Sport.

You can’t teach someone to love a team. But you can certainly reap the benefits. I often make the case that Jack Wilshere would not be the same player for another team. That is because he plays more so for the club than himself. Mathieu Flamini is another guy who puts the team ahead of himself. He has been a utility player for so many years on this squad and that should absolutely continue, if not for the sole reason that he loves the club.

Finally, the essence of Arsenal and what re-signing Flamini would mean.

Next: 1. Loyalty