AS ARSENAL waved farewell to their home support for another season, after Sunday's 1-0 victory over Everton, there was work to be had for the amateur psychologist.
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was a case study in pride and defiance, as he strode away from the main group, enjoying the applause of the crowd after his final appearance for the club. Rather less conspicuous were Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb. The midfielders were surrounded by team-mates and only when the throng broke towards the tunnel did Flamini break cover. His wave to the stands was almost sheepish.
The Frenchman headed straight to the airport and later he dined with Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani, and general manager Ariedo Braida. He underwent a medical yesterday at the club and has agreed a four-year deal on a Bosman free transfer, worth €82,217 a week. Arsenal had offered him €69,568 a week.
Meanwhile, his friend Hleb may be joining him in Milan, albeit across the city at Internazionale. The Serie A league leaders made it clear they are prepared to offer him a substantial increase on his €63,2424-a-week Arsenal wage. Hleb has been tempted. It has not gone unnoticed by Inter that the Belarus international has the option, under Article 17 of Fifa's transfer regulations, to buy out the remaining two years of his Arsenal contract and leave for rather less than the €14.2 million that the club paid for him in 2005.
Arsene Wenger, the manager, said it was his priority to keep his squad together, as he felt it could return afresh next season and win trophies for the first time since 2005. With uncertainty over the future of midfielder Gilberto Silva, who will be in the final year of his contract, Wenger may have to rethink his summer plans.
Wenger needs another centre-half - Philippe Senderos is erratic - while he may also look for cover for Bacary Sagna at right-back. He had insisted he did not need anything more in midfield or up front but Flamini's departure is expected to change that. Denilson, the 20-year-old Brazilian, is no central midfield enforcer and if Gilberto cannot be persuaded to see out his contract - he, too, is the subject of interest from Serie A - Wenger will be compelled to act.
There is the possibility of a move for Gennaro Gattuso, the Milan midfielder. Now 30, the Italian World Cup winner could be interested in a fresh challenge in the Premier League. He is also coveted by Bayern Munich.
Gattuso thrives on high motivation but would not appear to be an archetypal Wenger target, his age and high wages, in particular, counting against him. Whether Wenger would court a figure like him remains to be seen.
