Gooner, going, gone! Jeremie Aliadiere, The ferret-featured Arsenal striker signed for Middlesbrough in a £1.5m deal where he hopes Teeside fans will finally be able to put a face to his name.
He must have decided that, as one of the longest serving players in Arsenal’s squad and at the ripe old age of 24, he’s now too old to break into the North London crèche. But, was Wenger right to let him go or has the Professor gone nutty?
Since signing for Arsenal the Frenchman has managed only 19 starts in seven years at the club with most of them playing for the Gunner’s finishing school in the League Cup. It can’t be easy trailing in the slipstream of Henry’s ‘Va-Va Voom’ but unsuccessful loan spells haven’t justified a place in the team.
But then again, if he makes it at the Riverside he won’t be the first player to prove Wenger might have been a tad hasty. In recent years, Matthew Upson has attracted ever-increasing transfer fees, Steve Sidwell has signed for Chelsea and even Jermaine Pennant has played in the European Cup final.
We’re not sure how he’ll fare with fewer chances up north but if he comes good and Le Sulk II leaves, will Arsenal miss him?