Bayern Munich eyeing Arsenal's free Flamini

Mathieu Flamini's future at Arsenal has been cast into further doubt after Bayern Munich's decision to join Juventus and AC Milan in the race for the French midfielder's services.

Flamini is out of contract in the summer and, despite talks over a new deal at The Emirates starting in December, no agreement has yet been reached.

And with a trio of Europe's biggest clubs on the trail of the influential midfielder, holding on to the Frenchman will not be an easy task.

Outlining his desire to recruit a central midfielder in the summer, Bayern sporting director Uli Hoeness said: "Once again, we're ready to bring in a high quality player. You don't always need to spend millions. Sometimes players come on free transfers."

One player who is staying at Arsenal is Alexander Hleb. The midfielder's agent said yesterday he will not be joining Inter Milan.

"I'm often approached about Hleb," said Nikolai Shpilevski. "Juventus, Barcelona and Real are also interested in him. But there are no official offers. I can't imagine what kind of offer Milan could make that we would accept."

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger has once again run the rule over Lyon starlet Hatem Ben Arfa.

Arsenal scouts watched the 21-year-old winger in Lyon's 1-1 draw with Rennes at the weekend.

But skipper William Gallas believes it is the side's defensive problems that Wenger has to sort out.

Gallas said: "In the last few months, when we concede a goal, we go down very quickly.

"When the season started,we were not like this.

"We have to work on that for next year."