Gunners to let Lauren leave

AFP - 12 January 2007 19:35

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that the club will allow experienced Cameroon full-back Lauren, seen here in 2005, to leave if he finds a new club during the January transfer window.

LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal will allow experienced Cameroon full-back Lauren to leave if he finds a new club during the January transfer window, manager Arsene Wenger confirmed.

Lauren is fit again after a year out with a knee injury and Wenger admitted he was unlikely to be able to force his way back into the Gunners´ first team.

"The problem is that since Lauren got injured I have Justin Hoyte who got promoted, I have Emmanuel Eboue who got promoted and I have Johan Djourou who can play in there too.

"It´s always the same. You make room for young players and then it is difficult to leave them out again. I feel we have too many players in that position now."

West Ham have already expressed an interest in signing the 29-year-old.

Wenger, speaking to Arsenal´s official website, added: "Lauren is free to talk to anyone because it is the end of his contract but frankly I don´t know if he has spoken to West Ham. He doesn´t have to inform me if he wants to speak to anyone."