Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says a report linking with a move to Barcelona at the end of the season is “fake news”.
Spanish newspaper Sport made the claim yesterday, suggesting Arteta was keen to replace Xavi, who announced over the weekend he will be leaving the Camp Nou in June.
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Arteta is a product of Barca’s famed La Masia academy but says he has no plans to leave Arsenal for a return to Catalonia.
He said: “No, that’s totally fake news what you read yesterday. I don’t know where it’s coming from, it’s totally untrue. I’m really upset about it.
“I couldn’t believe it, it has no sources, it has nothing. You have to be very cautions about personal things when it’s put the way it was put yesterday.
“I’m cautious when I talk publicly about my personal things. I don’t think anyone deserves to hear that in news like that. I have always been straight and said the opposite. I’m so happy where I am now.”
Arteta’s contract at the Emirates Stadium expires at the end of next season but he insists the level of trust he has with the club’s board means there is no urgent rush to discuss an extension.
“I’m in the right place and I feel good about it,” he added. “I’m embracing a journey with this club and there’s a long way still to go. I have a strong relationship with the board.
“Things come in a natural way. When the time is right we will have those discussions and find the best way to deal with it.”
Arsenal lost out to Manchester City in a tight title battle last season and sit third, five points behind leaders Liverpool, this time around.
It represents significant progress from when Arteta took over in 2019 although the Spaniard insists there is still much work to be done.
“There is a lot to do here and we all share that ambition,” he said.
“We want more, we aren’t satisfied and the club wants another push to go to another level. We have everyone on board to achieve it.
“We are on the right track but we are very far from my vision of where this club needs to be. We navigated some difficult moments through Covid and my belief is that created a really strong attachment and belief that we are the right people to take the club forward. We used it in the right way.”
Thomas Partey is back in training ???? pic.twitter.com/XzB05iyQVz
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 27, 2024
Arsenal visit Nottingham Forest tomorrow night with doubts over midfielder Declan Rice and centre-half Gabriel.
“We have some late decisions to make,” said Arteta.
“Thomas [Partey] won’t be one of those. Thomas will not be in the squad.
“We had some issues at the end of the last game so we will assess those players. You want everyone in the squad.
“[Declan] Rice is one of those players. He has done some work but he has missed some work as well. Hopefully he will be okay. Gabriel is another one.”
