Mikel Arteta ‘upset’ over Barcelona links: ‘Totally fake news’

Arteta had been linked with the Catalan club after Xavi announced his departure

Mikel Arteta has vowed to stay with Arsenal (Getty Images)

Mikel Arteta has described stories linking him with Barcelona as “totally fake news” with the Spanish manager vowing not to leave Arsenal.

Reports in Spain had suggested that Arteta could be a candidate to replace Xavi after the Barcelona boss announced that he would be stepping away at the end of the season.

The Arsenal manager spent time in the Catalan club’s academy as a youngster, and has impressed since taking charge at the Emirates Stadium, pushing Manchester City close last season.

Issuing a strong denial of the rumours, Arteta insisted that he wants to keep building his Arsenal project.

“That’s totally fake news,” Arteta said when asked if he would be leaving the club in the summer. “I don’t know where it is coming from.

“It’s totally untrue. I’m really upset about it. I could not believe it. They have no source, nothing.

“I think you have to be very cautious when you talk about personal things. I am in the right place, I am with the right people, I feel really good about it.

“I’m immersed in a beautiful journey with this football club, with these players and the staff. There is still a lot to do.”

Xavi’s shock announcement that he would be leaving the club he represented with distinction as a player comes less than a year after leading Barcelona to La Liga triumph.

Xavi has announced that he will be stepping down as Barcelona manager (Getty Images)

Their domestic crown was the club’s first in four years, and the first since the departure of Lionel Messi.

The 44-year-old has struggled to repeat that success this term, though, with a number of challenges on and off the field.

A 5-3 defeat to Villarreal means they now trail league leaders Girona by eleven points, with Real Madrid ten points ahead of their rivals.