Categories: Sports

Arteta: I’ve no plans to leave Arsenal for Barcelona at end of season

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, says he has no plans to leave the Premier League club for Barcelona at the end of the season.

Arteta said this at a press conference in London on Monday, January 29, 2024.

He said: “Fake news. Totally fake news.

“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.

“These fake news about me leaving in June make me upset.

“I’m immersed in a beautiful journey with my players, the staff, our beautiful people. There’s still a lot to do here at Arsenal.

“I always said I’m in the right place.”

Reports in Spain have suggested the Gunners boss intends to step down in the summer, with a number of outlets linking him to the Barcelona job.

Arteta is contracted to Arsenal until the summer of 2025.

Spanish publication, Diario AS, reported that the Spaniard had informed his entourage that he was open to exiting the Emirates following the conclusion of the current campaign, amid ongoing links to the post at Barcelona.

On Saturday, Xavi announced he would be stepping down as Barcelona manager at the end of the season.

Xavi announced the decision to leave after Barcelona lost 5-3 at home to Villarreal, conceding twice in added time at the Nou Camp. The result leaves them 11 points off LaLiga leaders Girona.

Arteta, 41, replaced Unai Emery at Arsenal, taking a senior managerial role for the first time in his career.

Before taking the job, Arteta had been working as a member of Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, a role he took up upon retiring from playing in the summer of 2016.

In September 2020, having guided Arsenal to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League and an FA Cup win in the previous season, Arteta was made first-team manager of the north London club having previously gone by the title as head coach.

As a player, he won the FA Cup twice in a five-year career with the Gunners.

The former midfielder made 150 appearances for Arsenal between 2011 and 2016 and captained the side.

As a manager to date, he has won 124 of his 210 matches as Arsenal boss.

The Star