{"id":922,"date":"2026-04-06T23:16:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T23:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=922"},"modified":"2026-04-06T23:16:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T23:16:17","slug":"arsenal-news-mikel-arteta-behaviour-called-out-as-transfer-claims-cross-the-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=922","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta behaviour called out as transfer claims &#8216;cross the line&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_68255d\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Arsenal are dealing with the shock of another cup exit and a blow to their transfer plans<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36802077\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 01: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, reacts during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on March 01, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane\/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36802077.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/1_Arsenal-v-Chelsea-Premier-League.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36802077.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/1_Arsenal-v-Chelsea-Premier-League.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36802077.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/1_Arsenal-v-Chelsea-Premier-League.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36802077.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/1_Arsenal-v-Chelsea-Premier-League.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Mikel Arteta has been called out for his touchline theatrics\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Mikel Arteta has been called out for his touchline theatrics<cite aria-label=\"Image: Stuart MacFarlane, Arsenal FC via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Stuart MacFarlane, Arsenal FC via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">As the dust settles on an other dismal result for Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has found himself in the firing line. The Gunners\u2019 shock 2-1 defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals marked their second cup exit in as many games.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">There were worrying signs for the Gunners as uncharacteristically poor defending allowed the Saints to snatch a late victory at St Mary&#8217;s. Any hopes that Arteta\u2019s men would bounce back after their Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City before the international break were seemingly misguided.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The north Londoners cannot dwell on their recent disappointments, however, as they prepare for a crucial Champions League quarter-final tie against Sporting CP on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Perhaps even more important is Saturday\u2019s fixture at home against Bournemouth, as Arsenal look to weather this storm and maintain their nine-point lead in the Premier League table. Now, <strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Mirror Football<\/strong> takes a look at two of latest news stories involving the Gunners.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE!<\/strong><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mirrorfootballarsenal#\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"> <\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><u>Latest Gunners news and more on our dedicated Facebook page<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_de167e\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Julian Alvarez Arsenal links blasted as club chief says &#8216;you&#8217;re going a bit overboard&#8217;<\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_de167e\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Arsenal sensation admits he &#8216;shouldn&#8217;t have been in England squad&#8217; amid injury debate<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"HeadingThree_heading-three__PBHLs  __className_7c3138\">Arteta blamed for &#8216;nervous energy&#8217;<\/h3>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Theo Walcott pointed the blame at Arteta following Saturday night\u2019s loss by calling out the manager\u2019s &#8220;nervous energy.&#8221; Both the Gunners boss and his side in recent years have been accused of not being able to get over the line when it comes to the business end of the season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The defeat to Southampton exacerbated those fears, with some believing their poor display can bleed into and derail their Premier League title pursuit. Arteta\u2019s former Arsenal team-mate Walcott, also formerly of Southampton, feels the Spaniard\u2019s touchline antics are doing little to calm his players down.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-36101116\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36101116\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.43\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Theo Walcott speaking in 2025\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36101116.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_GettyImages-2212714326.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36101116.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_GettyImages-2212714326.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36101116.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_GettyImages-2212714326.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36101116.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_GettyImages-2212714326.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Theo Walcott accused Arteta of showing &quot;nervous energy&quot;\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Theo Walcott accused Arteta of showing &#8220;nervous energy&#8221;<cite aria-label=\"Image: Jean Catuffe\/Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Jean Catuffe\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He told BBC: &#8220;They have to not let the season run away from them. Everything they have built this season, don&#8217;t let it affect them. They have been in this situation before and they don&#8217;t want to relive that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Visually watching Mikel on the sidelines, it was elements of previous years where that energy reflected into the team. It was a nervous energy, it was very tense.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Not just Mikel but a lot of the staff were out there at times. It was like too many cooks in the kitchen, too many messages. Play your best team was the right thing to do tonight. It&#8217;s easy if I say that now, but you want a reaction off the cup final and it wasn&#8217;t that tonight, it was worse.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"HeadingThree_heading-three__PBHLs  __className_7c3138\">Alvarez transfer talk &#8216;crossing the line&#8217;<\/h3>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-36789596\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36789596\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Julian Alvarez centre-forward of Atletico de Madrid and Argentina during the UEFA Champions League 2025\/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Atletico de Madrid and Club Brugge KV at Estadio Riyadh Air Metropolitano on February 24, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. \" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36789596.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_GettyImages-2262878538.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36789596.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_GettyImages-2262878538.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36789596.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_GettyImages-2262878538.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36789596.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_GettyImages-2262878538.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Atletico Madrid's president shut down talk of Julian Alvarez's exit\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Atletico Madrid&#8217;s president shut down talk of Julian Alvarez&#8217;s exit<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo slammed the Spanish media at the weekend for their constant speculation about Julian Alvarez\u2019s summer transfer. Alvarez is reportedly being eyed as a key target by the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">But, speaking before Atletico\u2019s La Liga defeat to Barcelona, Cerezo suggested Alvarez could remain at the club next season, taking a dig at the gathered media in the process. He said: &#8220;You are crossing the line a little with (questions and reports about) Alvarez. He&#8217;s an Atletico Madrid player and has a long contract with the club.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Barcelona went on to secure a victory, with Robert Lewandowski &#8211; the same player Alvarez would be expected to replace should he make the switch &#8211; scoring a late winner from the bench.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Argentina star Alvarez has managed 17 goals and nine assists in all competitions this season, impressing several of Europe\u2019s top clubs in the process. Atletico are understood to have slapped a \u00a3129million price-tag on the 26-year-old.<\/p>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContentsEmbed_affiliate-contents-container__oTiet\" data-testid=\"affiliate-contents-embed\">\n<div data-testid=\"affiliate-content\" class=\"AffiliateContent_affiliate-content-container__10EX_ affiliate-content\">\n<p>Get 70% off Premier League kits and merch<\/p>\n<div class=\"AffiliateDisclaimer_affiliate-disclaimer__dG5ST\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateDisclaimer_affiliate-text__8nmDa\">This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. 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Fans can find discounts on products from Premier League clubs including Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Spurs and more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arsenal are dealing with the shock of another cup exit and a blow to their<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":923,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arsenal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=922"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/923"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}