Hleb says difficult for Arsenal to cope without Wenger
'Adebayor, Cesc. . . fantastic players'
Alexandre Hleb, who completed a long-drawn transfer move to Barcelona from Premier League club Arsenal earlier this month, told reporters in an interview that his former club will be facing difficult times in future when manager Arsene Wenger decides to leave.
Hleb, 27, left North London for Catalunya for €15 million (£11.9 million).
The Belarus midfielder had joined Arsenal from Stuttgart in 2005. His departure from the Emirates Stadium seemed likely all summer after Hleb admitted he was "mentally tired" of the combination of living in London and playing top-level football.
Hleb is currently on a pre-season training camp with Barcelona in Scotland. He hailed Arsenal manager Wenger, stressing the key role he plays in driving the club forward. Hleb, however, warned that Arsenal are bound to face testing times when Wenger leaves his post in the future.
"Wenger is everything to Arsenal," he told the Daily Telegraph.
"The future for Arsenal, if Wenger stays, is that they will always play at the top. But, 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."
Hleb also said it would be 'fantastic' if he were joined at the Nou Camp by Spanish sensation Cesc Fabregas or Emmanuel Adebayor, who is also unsettled at Arsenal after being linked with transfer moves elsewhere this summer.
"These are fantastic players, Adebayor and Cesc," Hleb added.
"Every team would like to keep these players. For me, it would be really great if they came to Barcelona.
"Those players would bring good energy and power to this club. For Barcelona, it would be fantastic, and for me personally as well, if they leave."
He added: "Sometimes I think that Arsenal do not want to keep this team, not give something more."