Arsène Wenger is facing a battle to keep Mathieu Flamini at Arsenal after talks over a new contract stalled. The France midfield player’s present deal expires at the end of the season, enabling him to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club next month. Juventus are interested in securing his services.

Flamini has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers this season and was not impressed with the club’s initial offer of £40,000 a week when talks opened last week. The 23-year-old threatened to leave when he was struggling to get into the side last season, but he has been outstanding during this campaign, leaving Gilberto Silva resigned to a place on the substitutes’ bench.

Flamini claims he wants to stay in North London but is adamant that he deserves to move into line with his more established team-mates as he is still being paid under the terms of his first professional contract, which he signed four years ago. The former Marseilles player has displayed a stubborn streak in the past, going back on his agreement to sign a professional contract with the French club as a teenager to secure a move to Arsenal.

“I am a free agent in January, so we will see what happens,” Flamini said. “I am happy here, but we will see. I have been talking a bit with the club a few days ago and now I am going to see. We have so many games in December, so it is very difficult to be concentrated on this kind of thing as we are playing every three days. I am just focused on every game. As for the contract, we will see a bit later.”

Arsenal have lost several players in recent seasons as a result of their rigid pay structure, with Edu and Ashley Cole rejecting contract offers to move elsewhere, and Wenger, the manager, has several unhappy midfield players on his hands. Lassana Diarra has stated his desire to leave because of a lack of first-team opportunities, while Gilberto’s future is also uncertain.