Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta denies speculation linking him to Barcelona, calls it 'fake news'

Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal, denied that he will succeed Xavi Hernandez at Barcelona, calling related reports "fake news" at a press conference on Monday.

Last week, Xavi announced that he will step down after the 2023-24 season. Since Sunday, there have been reports that Arteta may join Barca, where he went through the club's La Masia youth academy in his teenage years. Arteta said he is upset by such reports.

"That's totally fake news," Arteta said of the reports. "What you read yesterday is ... I don't know where it is coming from, and it is totally untrue. I am really upset about it."

"I could not believe [it]. I don't know where it is coming from, and it has no source. It has got nothing, and I think we have to be very cautious when you talk about personal things to put it in the way it was put yesterday," he added.

Arsenal are currently in third place in the Premier League standings with 43 points after 21 games, behind Manchester City, who have the same number of points but are ahead on goal difference and have a game in hand. League leaders Liverpool are on 48 points after 21 games.

Arteta took over Arsenal in December 2019. The club has finished in eighth, eighth, fifth and second in the following four seasons, respectively, since then.

"I am in the right place. I am with the right people. I feel really good about it," Arteta said at the press conference. "As I said many times, I am invested in a beautiful journey with this football club, with these players, these staff, our people, and there is still a lot to do. I am really cautious when I talk publicly about my personal things, and when someone puts a statement saying something I said or did, it is upsetting."

Arteta's current contract with Arsenal will come due in 2025. According to ESPN, though the two sides haven't started extension negotiations, the club is relaxed about Arteta's commitment to them.

"I understand we are in this industry, but the second one," Arteta said. "I don't think anyone deserves to hear in news like that, and I have always been really straight and always said the complete opposite: how happy I am, how grateful I am and how much I enjoy where I am now; that is why I am upset."