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Arsenal center forward Marouane Chamakh has moved to new Premier League side Crystal Palace on a free transfer, according to Sky Sports' Pete O'Rourke:
Marouane Chamakh has sealed his move to Crystal Palace on a free transfer from Arsenal. He has signed a one-year deal. #AFC #CPFC
— Pete O'Rourke (@SkySportsPeteO) August 10, 2013
The club has not made an official statement on this yet, but Chamakh's contract was set to run until June 2014, so the fact that he's moving for free would indicate that Arsene Wenger was more keen to clear out some wages from the bill and terminate things a year early than continue to pay the Moroccan international. For his part, Chamakh would understandably want to play more regularly than he had even on loan last year at West Ham, so the move is probably a good one for him, too.
The transfer leaves Arsenal basically only with Nicklas Bendtner left from The Deadwood Regiment (I'm calling them that; you can too, if you like, you silly smiling people, youz). Phase I of the "get Arsenal's wage structure in order" is nearly complete; commence Phase II ("MILLION POUNDS A WEEK FOR ALL THE STRIKURS")?
I didn't hate you, Marouane, even though you liked a bit of the smoke now and then. You weren't super great at top-level football in England, but you smiled after scoring at the Carling Cup. Thanks for your service.