‘Flamini’s attitude changed my mind’

Arsene Wenger admits he did not plan on signing Mathieu Flamini this summer - but the player's attitude and fitness changed his mind.

The French midfielder signed for the Club on Thursday after spending three weeks training at London Colney following his departure from AC Milan.

 Wenger has been highly impressed with the 29-year-old and expects him to hit the ground running in his second spell at Arsenal.

“At the start I didn't want to sign him - I am completely honest about it,” the manager said. “I didn't envisage doing it. Circumstances and his attitude convinced me to do it.

“I didn’t expect him to be in that mental state and in that physical shape. Our job has a great quality - it is a good teacher of humility. So you always have to be ready to change your mind, and he changed my mind.

“The ambition is there and he is hugely fit. He came here for fitness and we tested him quite well. He worked very hard and he knows how we want to play.

“He is quite versatile. He can play in different positions and when I saw what kind of mental state and physical shape he was in, it was a no brainer.”