Sergi Samper: 'I did not want Arsenal move'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 17 January 2017

Barcelona midfielder Sergi Samper insists that he was never interested in a move to Arsenal despite the Gunners making an approach last summer.

Barcelona midfielder Sergi Samper has insisted that he "did not want to listen" to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's approaches last summer.

The 21-year-old was linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium during the summer transfer window but eventually joined Granada on a season-long loan deal, with the likes of Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic ahead of him in the pecking order.

Samper is currently embroiled in a relegation battle with Granada rather than a Premier League title chase with Arsenal, but the Spain Under-21 international is confident he made the right choice due to his ultimate ambition of breaking into the Barca first team.

"I did not want to listen to Wenger. I told him clearly that I wanted to stay, I wanted to succeed at Barcelona, and what would make me happy was succeeding at Barcelona in the future," he told Granada's official website.

"I feel important in the [Granada] team. I am enjoying where I am and I hope that we can change the situation."

Samper, who came through Barcelona's famous youth academy, has made just one La Liga appearance for his parent club.