Arsenal veteran Mathieu Flamini is on the verge of joining Super Lig minnows Rizespor according to club manager Hikmet Karaman.
“We have been in talks, we have reached an agreement in principle and he will arrive in Rize over the next few days,” Karaman revealed.
Flamini has been flirting with a move to Turkey over the transfer window with Galatasaray only recently turning down an offer to sign the Arsenal midfielder.
The French midfielder was offered to the Istanbul giants by his agent who wanted a three-year deal for the experienced midfielder.
Riekerink told FutbolArena: “We were offered Flamini on a three-year deal, I rejected the offer straight away. He has not played for four months and a three year deal would keep him here until 35. We want players who will help us improve and who can actually play.”
Rizespor are minnows compared to Galatasaray and situated on the Eastern Black Sea coast far away from the glitz and glamour of Istanbul.
The Super Lig outfit are however, an ambitious club pushing for a European spot this season.
Gunners star Mesut Ozil will probably be pretty happy with the decision as it will allow his blooming bromance with Flamini to continue.
Theo Walcott has described the special bond the two players have as being ‘Flamzil’ and went as far to say: “They go to the gym together, have massaged together I wouldn’t be surprised if they even share a house together.”
Daniel Welbeck described the two players fondness for each other in a recent interview on the Arsenal Media: “The bromance of the season award goes to Mesut Özil and Flamini they are twins. I’ve played with twins, in Fabio and Rafael Da Silva, but these are closer.”
