Barca head coach Xavi confirmed over the weekend that he would be leaving his role with the Catalan giants at the end of the season.
HITC revealed that Arteta had been discussed within the corridors of power at Barca, and he was someone who they ‘appreciated’ as they look at potential successors to Xavi.
Arsenal Training Session
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
However, reports on Monday in Catalonia claimed that Arteta – whose contract with The Gunners expires in 2025 – had already decided that he would quit Arsenal this summer.
Arsenal sources had quickly denied the claims and Arteta followed that up and angrily denied the claims that he had decided he was leaving the club at the end of the season.
Denial
“No, that’s totally fake news,” Arteta said when asked at a press conference on Monday, via Sky Sports.
“What I read yesterday I don’t know where it’s coming from. I’m really upset about it, I could not believe it. I don’t know where it’s coming from.
“I think we have to be very careful when you talk about personal things especially. I’m in the right place.”
HITC also revealed over the weekend that Arsenal were ‘confident’ about extending Arteta’s deal.
On his contract, he said: “I don’t know. I’ve got a strong relationship with the board. Things come in a natural way. We’ve always done it that way and we’ve done it really well.
“This is something that will happen naturally when it happens if it has to happen.”
Another Premier League job?
Arteta’s name has previously been linked as a possible replacement for Pep Guardiola, whose contract at Manchester City is due to expire in 2025.
And he was asked if he could be tempted to manage another team in England, he added: “Today: no. I don’t know.
“I played for two great clubs in this country. I’m extremely young and I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
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