Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has this afternoon issued a blunt response to suggestions that he is ready to pack his bags in north London, in an effort to push through a move back to Spain, with Barcelona.
The name of tactician Arteta has of course taken its place front and centre in the headlines across Europe over the last 24 hours.
This comes after reports stemming from Spain pointed towards the former midfielder readying a push to link up with Barcelona.
In fact, some sources went as far as to claim that Arteta had already informed his inner circle of his plan to terminate his Arsenal contract, in a bid to kickstart negotiations in Catalunya.
Speaking in a press conference on Monday afternoon, it therefore came as little surprise when the subject of his alleged desire to replace Xavi in Barcelona was put to the Gunners boss himself.
And Arteta, unsurprisingly, was in no mood to mince words…
Slamming the reports surrounding his name as ‘fake news’, the 41-year-old went as far as to reveal that he was left ‘upset’ by questions over his loyalty to the Arsenal cause:
“Fake news. Totally fake news,” he began.
“I don’t know where it is coming from. It is totally untrue. I am really upset about it. I could not believe it. No source, nothing.”
Arteta added:
“I’m immersed in a beautiful journey with my players, the staff, our beautiful people… these’s still a lot to do here at Arsenal. I always said I’m in the right place.”
Conor Laird | GSFN
