Arsenal-Mania

Wenger comfortable with Hleb departure

By Jonathan Chong on Friday, July 18, 2008

Manager Arsčne Wenger has said that he has no qualms over the departure of Alexander Hleb to Barcelona.

The Belarus international finally completed his transfer to the Spanish club in a Ł11.8 million deal.

Whilst Wenger tried his best to hold onto Hleb, the arrival of Samir Nasri may have softened the effects of the loss of the Belarusian.

The Frenchman said: "We must firstly thank Alex for his contribution towards Arsenal during his time with us.

"He played a significant role in the three seasons he was with the club.

"We are comfortable with our decision to let him go and we are all looking forward to continuing our preparations for the new season ahead.

"Everyone at Arsenal wishes Alex the best of luck for the future."

User Comments

29

Jonny NORWAY

Posted on 23 Jul, 2008 at 10:31 PM - Reply

Give the boy a break!
Thanks Hleb for all the fine fotball you have brought the supporters.
Hope you have succsess i your new club.

28

Arsenarin

Posted on 23 Jul, 2008 at 10:35 AM - Reply

why am scared is that all these young signing,when they became known stars then the say they are not happy and all effort to keep them will be lost. So being them great will be another club's benefit.

27

Ivan

Posted on 22 Jul, 2008 at 05:56 PM - Reply

Never liked Hleb at all.

26

Jonny10

Posted on 22 Jul, 2008 at 02:22 PM - Reply

Why when people talk about experience in one sentence do they then talk about arshavin in the next. I'm not saying he's not a good player just that he's 27, only ever played in Russia for a side that is bankrolled by ne of the world's richest companies and had 2 good games at the European Championships.

25

Damian

Posted on 22 Jul, 2008 at 12:47 PM - Reply

Arsene knows alright he new it was now or Flamini take 2 in 6 months he wouldn,t sign another contract he had no choice if Arsene had his way Hleb stays 2/3 more years

24

Josephs

Posted on 22 Jul, 2008 at 11:07 AM - Reply

Those who talk about experience, shut it please. It's force, intelligence and consistency that play football. How experienced is Gallas ? What is he doing for the team? We need players who can play the whole season without being admitted to the sickbay, I mean those who play for a few minutes and get an injury that lasts for six months. If these injuries and Gallas' incompetence (despite his experience)and Toure's fatigue were absent we would have won something last season.

23

Marco van Adams

Posted on 21 Jul, 2008 at 11:33 PM - Reply

Some suspect mathematics going on in some of these comments. Best wishes to Hleb, I enjoyed watching him play for us and hope he does well with Barcelona. Will look forward to seeing how we shape up without him.

22

Rahul

Posted on 21 Jul, 2008 at 04:48 PM - Reply

Hleb makes way for Walcott to start more regularly. Thats fair enough. Our first eleven is still very competitive but we lack depth badly.

Once again we will fight for title till xmas and then fade away. Story of our past few seasons.

21

Ray

Posted on 21 Jul, 2008 at 03:39 PM - Reply

AW really needs to be seen to work towards the team improvememt. Last seasons failures were attributed to having a thin squad - which I don't think he is addressing! By letting Hleb leave because there is a certain nasri around tantamounts to sqauring 1!
-1+1=0, Period!
Wenger should be looking at adding to squad he has with equally good players without releasing any.

Surely letting Hleb, Flamini, & Silva go (note the EPL experience plz) and relying on new recruits (Nasri, Ramsey) with hardly any premiership experience doesn't look like improving the squad at all. One would have expected to see these new members play along with the experienced ones to get acquainted.
Anyway, no matter how much we may express our views, Arsene will always have the final say.

20

Gooner

Posted on 20 Jul, 2008 at 12:06 PM - Reply

buy alonso for a replacement for gilberto with the money

19

singapore_arsenal

Posted on 20 Jul, 2008 at 07:06 AM - Reply

I think the real issue is not about hleb leaving as there are many other dribblers in the team, with players like vela able to play out wide and nasri behind the strikers. The issue is about the holding midfielder's role, with song looking really shaky at times. Denilson is still a raw but talented prospect and if no replacement is made, it will stifle fabregas' role as the creative side, having him to drop deep and help out his defense, like his idol guardiola. Hopefully, either the barry saga or the rumoured alonso interest will materialise, so that fabregas can continue doing what he does.

And if a replacement wants to be made of hleb, arshavin can be a good replacement, as he possesses similar quick feet and the knack for tearing open a defense with a pass.

To hleb, thanks for all the wonderful performance you've given us.

18

tope

Posted on 20 Jul, 2008 at 02:53 AM - Reply

arsene must make a bold statement of intent for this season.sign experienced players

17

seliji

Posted on 19 Jul, 2008 at 03:07 PM - Reply

i don't agree with Obadiah.Song is not looking comfortable????hey....that guy was the best player for cameroon during the African Cup of Nations.his absence during the 2 defeats by the Egypt was a very significant blow to cameroon.

16

dani

Posted on 19 Jul, 2008 at 12:31 PM - Reply

flamini, hleb, gelberto, henry, peris, freddi, rise, cashly...........
but there's only one Arsene Wenger

15

kakibola

Posted on 19 Jul, 2008 at 08:30 AM - Reply

one person doesnt make a whole lot different,may i say....its the team effort that count...unity is the key word beside talented player...and that's what arsenal shud made of...

14

kuzco-haj

Posted on 19 Jul, 2008 at 05:57 AM - Reply

the departure of hleb was really a blow as he was an excellent dribbler for the gunners, but no worry, arsenal still have lots of dribblers to come.

13

smurf

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 10:40 PM - Reply

yet another player who thinks the grass is greener on the other side

12

obadiah

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 08:19 PM - Reply

I dont think there's a big problem with Hleb's departure, especially with Walcott and Nasri in the team. the real headache is at a holding midfield with Flamini and Gilberto gone, and Song not looking comfortable. I Wish Hleb all the best. dint he give us his best in Arsenal colours really?

11

elninio

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 05:49 PM - Reply

I dont remember one good thing about Hleb apart from being a good dribbler... I mean that honestly and sincerely. And the stats now reveal that we were a better team without him in it. Wenger is mad about his stats because thats his barometer for improvement. Hleb was a steady bag o' shite... the stats do not lie!! Happy he has gone.

10

macshow

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 04:03 PM - Reply

Hleb has had a great time at arsenal.we wish him success in his new club.pls the coach should rebuild the mid-field cos we have lost alot

9

sulazu

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 03:47 PM - Reply

The fans too have no qualms with Hleb leaving. The only problem we will have is Wenger not replacing him with equally talented and experienced midfielder especially now that Gilberto have left too and Alex Song out to represent his country at the Olympics.

8

Toba:The only Gooner

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 03:29 PM - Reply

I am sure 99% of Gooners world-wide are not comfortable with the exit of Hleb and Flamini. For us to stop losing our sleep, Wenger should come out bodly and buy experience players. I can not imagine going through another beautiful season without a trophy. We are hungry and Wenger must know this!!! Wenger, please give us experience legs that can win us trophies. Please!!!!!!!

7

c.fraser

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 02:46 PM - Reply

what a load of rubbish, hope hleb has a crap season, traitor as far as im concerned.

6

sachin

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 02:17 PM - Reply

to relace hleb/gilberto/flamini sign vandervart/de jong/frings problem solved

5

Neil

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 01:59 PM - Reply

A bit more money would have been nice - he was nobody when we bought him for Ł11.2, now three years later he is world class. Ł600,000 profit isn't enough.

He never seemed to settle in england though and he couldn't play with Van P. Plus this should allow walcott to get more starts. So I think it's good news that he is gone

4

suraju adewale

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 01:24 PM - Reply

Hleb has played his part for the brief period of his staY at Arsenal fC. The next pot of call is an experience player to replace him. Arsene should try Arshavin with a bold step:$27m will be okay.

3

pastor victor

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 12:39 PM - Reply

Good luck to Hleb,his seasons with the gunners was great.I Wish him all the best at barca

2

yoshleb

Posted on 18 Jul, 2008 at 12:08 PM - Reply

i believe arsene knows what he's doing.
and as for alex..thanks for everything,wish u the very best luck..