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Alexander Hleb admits he made a mistake in leaving Arsenal last summer.

The Belarus midfielder has returned to Stuttgart, four years after he left the Bundesliga side, on a year-long loan deal after a difficult season at Barcelona. Hleb rarely featured as the Catalans stormed to the treble and he believes he should never have left North London.

He told ESPN: “Of course I regret leaving Arsenal. I was playing every week for one of the most exciting sides in Europe, a team which was always in the top four in the Premier League and were Champions League contenders.”

He added: “Also, I was being guided by one of the best coaches in the world in Arsene Wenger. I owe him a great deal.

“I developed a better all-round game under him and I became more robust physically, learnt to look up more and play better passes and generally improved greatly as a team player. No player ever gets worse under Wenger. For me, leaving Arsenal was not a good move.

“A footballer only exists when he takes to the field and makes a proper contribution to the team and even though I was part of a Barca squad that was almost unstoppable, it was hard not to feel detached from all the happiness and celebration at the end.” (Daily Mirror)

Well it’s all well and good admitting you made a mistake now, but maybe you shouldn’t have left the club that made you what you are to join another side you were always going to struggle to get first team football at.

This is probably all a rather unsubtle ruse to try to get Arsene’e attention in the hopes that he could worm his way back into the Arsenal set-up, but that is doomed to fail.

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Alexander Hleb has confessed that his move from Arsenal to Barcelona last year was a mistake he now regrets.
The 28-year-old confirmed he is unhappy in Catalonia despite his team’s successes in the Spainish league and Europe last season.
‘When you mostly sit on the bench, winning titles brings very little joy, while getting to the last eight of the Champions League with Arsenal was unforgettable,’ said the Belarus winger.

‘I regret my move from London, but unfortunately nothing can be done about it now.’
While Hleb feels he has been poorly treated by Nou Camp boss Pep Guardiola, he showered praise on former manager Arsene Wenger.
‘For me, Wenger was like a father. I consider him one of the best managers in the world.
‘For such a boss one wants to die on the pitch. Arsene managed to create a smashing team with a wonderful atmosphere inside of it.
‘I have no doubts that if Arsenal had the same budget as Barcelona, the Gunners would be among the three best clubs on the planet.’ (Daily Mail)

Alexander Hleb will get little sympathy from any Gunners fans after the way he jumped ship to move to Barcelona, everyone knew he would get lost amongst the oddles of talent at the Nou Camp but he went anyway and one of the major reasons he did so was to get a big fat pay hike, so he can cry all he wants now but he made his bed and now he will have to lie in it.

I used to be a big fan of the Belorussian and was always an admirer of his obvious ability and he did well when he was at Arsenal but then left as soon as a big team came in for him, regardless of the fact that it was Arsene Wenger who brought him to the attention of the world.

It doesn’t seem likely that Wenger will try to recapture the 28 year old because the club has quite a few talented individuals who play in his position so he better get used to warming the bench or try to get out whilst he is still a viable purchase.

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The Rumour

Barcelona’s unhappy midfielder Alex Hleb is being linked with a sensational return to Arsenal.

Hleb wants out of the Nou Camp.

“I am right in the best years of my career and I do not want to spend those years on bench,” he said.

The news Hleb is looking for a move will be also be welcomed by a number of Premier League clubs after his three impressive seasons with Arsenal.

In a bizarre twist, even Gunners boss Arsene Wenger might be interested in taking Hleb back for a lot less than the £11.8m he sold him for, says the Daily Star Sunday.

The Source: (Daily Star Sunday as reported tribalfootball.com)

The Analysis

I will try to deal with this rumour in as succinct a manner as possible. This will not happen!

Hleb engineered his way out of the Emirates in search of stardom and ended up warming the bench as his Barcelona side managed very well without him. The Belorussian then angered many with some random attacks he aimed at Arsenal’s wage ceiling policy and seemed to enjoy continually talking about how the club was heading nowhere.

Apart from anything else where the hell would Hleb fit into the team now anyway? The club may well need some defensive signings, such as the recently acquired Thomas Vermaelen, but they don’t appear to need a player of Hleb’s type as they have many similar players already!

The Likelihood

Hleb back to Arsenal: Nope!

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The Rumour

Alexander Hleb looks set to leave Barcelona after a disappointing first season with the Spanish champions. The 28-year-old started just 8 League games from his 19 appearances and failed to score for the club. He has spoken encouragingly about leaving the Nou Camp which should surely alert a number of clubs in both England and Germany who are more than aware of his talent. He told German newspaper Bild, “I am right in the best years of my career and I do not want to spend those years on bench”.

News that the Belarusian is actively looking to depart the Camp Nou will be welcomed by a number of Premier League clubs after performing well in his 3 seasons with Arsenal. Even the Gunners themselves may be interested in bringing the talented playmaker back to the Emirates although the signings of Samir Nasri and Andrey Arshavin may prove otherwise.

A player with the proven ability to impress in English football should surely interest the likes of both Chelsea and Liverpool who’ve perhaps lacked the cutting edge the quick-footed midfielder can readily provide.

The Source: (Football Pools)

The Analysis

Arsenal fans will let you, rightly, that Hleb made a big mistake leaving the Gunners to join Barcelona. Everyone knew that he would struggle to make himself part of the starting eleven and now it has proven the case and the Belorussian is now considering his options and perhaps a move to Liverpool would make sense for all parties.

Alex Hleb can play across the midfield and is most effective out wide on the right. There is no doubting that Dirk Kuyt has been effective in his adopted role as a makeshift winger and the Dutchman has tried his heart out week in week out, but he may not be the long term solution for Rafa who appears to want some natural width on both flanks, hence his continuous tracking of David Silva who also plays his best game out on the wing.

Benitez could get the former Wenger man on the cheap given that Pepe Guardiola seems intent on freshening things up at the club. Would he be a good buy?

The Likelihood

Hleb to Liverpool: May not happen but would be a clever move nonetheless

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Alexander Hleb warned Arsenal last night that they will continue to lose many of their best players every year because of financial reasons. The Belarus midfield player left the Emirates Stadium to join Barcelona last summer because he was dissatisfied with the club’s contract offer, the same reason that Mathieu Flamini gave for leaving to play for AC Milan.

Robin van Persie has yet to agree to a new contract and Emmanuel Adebayor’s future is again in doubt even though he signed a new deal 12 months ago, with Hleb arguing that more departures are inevitable. Arsenal have the third highest wage bill in the Barclays Premier League after Chelsea and Manchester United but operate a strict structure, with Cesc Fàbregas at the apex.

“Arsenal have had a lot of problems this year,” Hleb said. “They have the same problem every year with players leaving. They have a great team, but at the end of the season players leave and the boss has to find a new team and buy new players. This is not easy.

“You know better than me why players leave. Finances are always an issue there, but you’d have to ask Arsenal and Arsène [Wenger, the manager]. A lot of the problem is to do with money. Players arrive at the club, have a good season and get a lot of better offers from other teams. A football life is short and, of course, you want to enjoy football, but together with this you need to earn money.” (Times Online)

So what can we deduce from these comments, other than the fact that Alexander Hleb is a football mercenary, well i think we can also deduce that some former Arsenal players can’t help giving their pennies worth, but who the hell is asking them for their f**king words of wisdom anyway?

As for Hleb, talented though he undoutedly was, he left the club in search of a bigger bank balance and i hope to god he got it because he sure as hell doesn’t get much of a look in when it comes to first team matters. So was that a clever move for you Mr. Hleb? “A football life is a short one” well in that case why did you waste a year of your career warming your arse on the Nou Camp bench having started just six La Liga games this season?

Mathieu ‘Traitor’ Flamini is another one who stuck his nose into this whole issue earlier in the season and guess what? He isn’t in the first team very often either so was that a good move for you either?

There is no doubting there are some financial issues to take care of at the club but if the current mode of operation exposes the money chasing attitudes of some players then i am all for it, hopefully we will see similar quotes from Emmanuel Adebayor next season as he finds himself alongside Flamster in the San Siro dugout!

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Aside from Alexander Hleb, who else can you name in the team that will face the Three Lions on Wednesday? Nevertheless, they beat Holland 2-1 in qualifying for Euro 2008, so should be underestimated at their peril. Setanta reports that Fabio Capello is certainly not treating the assignment lightly, comparing England’s opponents with a certain Premier League club.

“They are not conservative at all,” he said. “They move all over, like Arsenal, and pass the ball a lot.

“Belarus are a very dangerous side and this game will not be easy.”

Perhaps it will be advantageous for England, if indeed the Belarusians do come forth and attack the visitors. After all, Capello’s men had plenty of joy soaking up the Croatian attack before countering to great effect in Zagreb. Nevertheless, this is a match which has banana skin written all over it, will England come through unscathed? Or will the Arsenal-like Belarus spring another surprise?

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Is this going to be the continuing trend at the North London club, who will clearly have to fight every summer to retain the services of Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie and whoever else rises to prominence under the watchful eye of Arsene Wenger? Although Ian Wright generally comes out with a load of piddle in his Sun column, he does make a valid point about Arsenal gradually becoming a stepping stone for players to progress their careers before moving on.

I am constantly asking myself if Arsenal are now seen as just a stepping stone for wannabe great players and no longer the place where world-class stars are happy to see out their careers.

Meanwhile, the Gunners seem unable to hang on to even squad players, with Mathieu Flamini switching to AC Milan and Alex Hleb going to Barcelona.

If any Arsenal fan told me they expected the club to finish in the top four this season, I reckon they would be optimistic rather than realistic.

They would be talking with their heart and not their head.

Is Arsene Wenger the victim of his own success at Arsenal? Is Wright wrong to believe that the Gunners will be struggling to stay in the top four next season? While he may be jumping the gun to suggest that it might happen next term, others such as David Dein have pointed to the fact that the French manager can’t continue to perform miracles forever, and that eventually their restrictive wage structure will force them to go backwards.

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Thierry Henry and new-boy Alexander Hleb both spoke about Wenger’s ability to get the best from his players, with Henry stating:

I don’t know how Arsene does it when he brings in some players who make people think ‘I don’t know if they are going to be ok’. People wonder if Arsenal are going to do anything.

But suddenly, like last year, everyone starts raving about how Arsenal are playing and what a great team they are.

Newly-arrived Hleb went on to stress the importance of the ex-Monaco boss at the Emirates:

Wenger is everything to Arsenal.

The future for Arsenal, if Wenger stays, is that they will always play at the top.

Both players, with the Barcelona team touring Scotland, flourished under Wenger before moving on to the Camp Nou. While they both agreed Wenger can turn it around this season, Hleb pointed out that the board could stand in the way of Wenger’s progress of building a team. The Belarusian hinted that the board are not forthcoming with improved contracts for its stars, jeopardising the future Wenger is building towards:

These are fantastic players, Adebayor and Cesc [Fabregas]. Sometimes I think that Arsenal do not want to keep this team, not give something more.

Of course it is difficult now because Arsenal have a few political differences. When he leaves, I think this is a difficult time coming for Arsenal.

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Nevertheless, the Daily Mail reports that the player is glad to have left nasty London with everyone rushing about, to join Barcelona right in the middle of the Spanish countryside. Rumour has it that the houses in the Catalan capital are half a mile apart, while a man travels round in a truck so that the Barca villagers can get their bread and cheese.

‘I am from Belarus and I was always with my family in December for Christmas and New Year, and it is very important,’ he said.

‘London was very hectic, it was really just football that helped me in that life.

‘Arsene Wenger, for me, is like a father. He gave me a lot and I learned a lot from him and I need to say thank you to him for the fact that I now play in Barcelona.’

Hleb added: ‘If Arsene Wenger stays at Arsenal, they will always play at the top. I think he is everything for Arsenal.’

Does Hleb want to thank Wenger principally because he didn’t stand in the way of Hleb’s move?! Arsenal fans, will you remember the player fondly or just someone who ended up taking the money and running to Spain?