West Ham rejected Arsenal returnee Mathieu Flamini following £70k-a-week pay demand
Wenger brings back midfielder who left for AC Milan five years ago after Allardyce puts his faith in Morrison, Diame and Noble
Clive Mason
West Ham turned down the chance to snap up Mathieu Flamini before Arsenal re-signed him last week.
The Hammers are among a number of clubs to snub the Frenchman, who has been taken back to the Emirates as an unattached free agent by Arsene Wenger, five years after leaving the club for AC Milan.
It puts into context the decision to re-sign his fellow Frenchman, when the Gunners' fans would far prefer more stellar signings.
Flamini, 29, wanted £70,000-a-week, and West Ham decided they were better off with the midfield they already have.
To bring him in, they would have had to shift players out to make room on their wage bill.
Sam Allardyce, however, has rejuvenated Ravel Morrison at his disposal while Kevin Nolan scored 10 times from midfield last season and is off the mark for the current campaign.
Allardyce can also call on the likes of talented Mo Diame and Mark Noble, both three years younger than Flamini at 26.
Flamini became available this summer after his Milan contract expired and he was released.
He began training with Arsenal earlier this month.
Wenger made his return to north London official last week, having rejected the chance to sign higher-calibre midfielders including Bayer Leverkusen's Germany star Lars Bender and Everton talisman Marouane Fellaini.
The Hammers are among a number of clubs to snub the Frenchman, who has been taken back to the Emirates as an unattached free agent by Arsene Wenger, five years after leaving the club for AC Milan.
It puts into context the decision to re-sign his fellow Frenchman, when the Gunners' fans would far prefer more stellar signings.
Flamini, 29, wanted £70,000-a-week, and West Ham decided they were better off with the midfield they already have.
To bring him in, they would have had to shift players out to make room on their wage bill.
Sam Allardyce, however, has rejuvenated Ravel Morrison at his disposal while Kevin Nolan scored 10 times from midfield last season and is off the mark for the current campaign.
Allardyce can also call on the likes of talented Mo Diame and Mark Noble, both three years younger than Flamini at 26.
Flamini became available this summer after his Milan contract expired and he was released.
He began training with Arsenal earlier this month.
Wenger made his return to north London official last week, having rejected the chance to sign higher-calibre midfielders including Bayer Leverkusen's Germany star Lars Bender and Everton talisman Marouane Fellaini.
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