Mikel Arteta, the current manager of Arsenal, will not be leaving the club despite rumors linking him to the vacant Barcelona job. Spanish media had reported that Arteta could potentially be on his way out of Arsenal in the summer to take over at the Camp Nou. However, it has been confirmed that Arteta will stay at Arsenal, with everyone involved feeling relaxed about the situation. Arteta is contracted with the north London club until 2025, further solidifying his commitment to the team.
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has also denied the reports, stating that Arteta has no intention of leaving Arsenal. Balague reassured Arsenal fans, stating that Arteta is building something special at the club and has a press conference scheduled for Monday where he will address the situation himself.
The rumors linking Arteta to Barcelona intensified after current manager Xavi announced that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season. Xavi made the announcement in a press conference following Barcelona’s 5-3 defeat to Villarreal. He explained that his decision to leave would relieve the general situation at the club, as he believes their project should only extend until June 30.
Despite the vacancy at Barcelona, Arteta will continue his journey with Arsenal. He took over as manager in December 2019, succeeding Unai Emery. In his time at Arsenal, Arteta has already achieved success, winning the FA Cup in the 2019/20 season and the Community Shield in August 2020. Last season, Arsenal finished second in the Premier League, narrowly missing out on the title to Manchester City.
Currently, Arsenal sits in third place in the Premier League and is still competing in the Champions League. Their next match will be against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night.
Overall, it is clear that Mikel Arteta will remain at Arsenal, despite the rumors linking him to Barcelona. Fans can rest assured that Arteta is committed to building something special at the club and has no intention of leaving.