In an exclusive statement, Mikel Arteta emphasizes that there are numerous stages yet to unfold during his tenure as the manager of Arsenal, firmly dismissing any speculation regarding his departure.

Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, has dismissed rumors about his future at the club and challenged his players to take “another step forward” in their development. Speaking ahead of their match against Nottingham Forest, Arteta labeled the speculation as “fake news” and emphasized that he has a long-term plan in place.

Arteta acknowledged that the path to success is not always straightforward, stating, “A piece of paper can hold anything, but the moment that you start to walk, to jog, to run, and to experience what is happening, you can not see the clear picture of ‘okay, that pathway is the right one’. You have to modify it a little bit and then go somewhere else.”

Despite a recent dip in form, with just one win in seven matches, Arteta remains confident in his team’s abilities. He believes that their performances have been better than the results suggest and is optimistic about their prospects for the rest of the season. Arteta said, “We were going through a spell where results weren’t actually representative of what we were doing in games. So I was very complimentary with the team, we continue to do what we are doing and we’ll have a really, really good and a strong season.”

Arteta stressed the importance of keeping key players fit in order to compete for titles. He highlighted the impact that the absence of key players had on their performance last season and expressed his desire to avoid a repeat this year. Arteta said, “You need your best players in the team available..the difference that the big players can make in those moments are huge. And we missed that last year.”

The Arsenal manager also acknowledged that the squad is currently thinner than their rivals and that the club was unable to strengthen during the January transfer window. However, he remains optimistic about the potential of young midfielder Emile Smith Rowe, who recently returned from injury and impressed in a cameo appearance against Crystal Palace. Arteta praised Smith Rowe’s progress and expressed his belief that the player will feature more prominently in the team.

Overall, Arteta remains focused on the team’s development and is determined to guide Arsenal to success. He believes that they are on the right path and that there are many phases to come in their journey. With a victory over Nottingham Forest, Arsenal could close the gap on league leaders Liverpool and firmly establish themselves in the title race.