Gunners boss happy though the Frenchman is now an Arsenal player once again.
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Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger has admitted that he had his doubts about re-signing midfield player Mathieu Flamini from AC Milan this summer, according to reports in the Metro.
The former France international was brought back to the Emirates on a free transfer after a five-year stay with the Serie A giants, with Flamini agreeing to return to north London on a two-year deal last month.
Flamini, 29, spent four very successful seasons with the Gunners between 2004 and 2008, during which time the defensive midfield player featured in 153 games in total for the club in all competitions, scoring eight goals in the process, seven of which came in his 102 Premier League contests.
However, the Frenchman then caused controversy by deciding to reject Wenger’s offer of a new contract to remain in the capital, instead deciding to join the Rossoneri in May 2008, only for the player to now return to the club.
And already this season Flamini has played in two of Arsenal’s opening Premier League contests as he settles back into life as an Arsenal player, with his manager happy to have his former charge back patrolling in front of his back four once again.
“First of all I believe that he realised what he had here,” Wenger told the official Arsenal website.
“When you’re very young, it is difficult to understand what he had at Arsenal.
“I must say I was reluctant to sign him again, but he was so honest in his statement that he wants to play the kind of football we play, that he wants to help us to win. He convinced me through his attitude and his desire in training that he will be the right signing for us.
“It was his attitude. He could have gone somewhere else. He had offers but he wanted to put it right with this club and I think he felt somewhere that he had something to bring to the piece here. He was determined to do that.”