Alex Song has stated that he did not want to leave Arsenal, and was ready to commit to the north London club for life.

Arsene Wenger sold the Cameroon international to Barcelona this summer, amid speculation that the player was asking for a pay increase.

However, the African battler has stated that he was eager to sign a new long-term deal at the Emirates Stadium and had not spoken about financial reward.

“I woke up and read those things in the paper and was really surprised and disappointed. I love Arsenal, I never wanted to leave," The Sun quote Song as saying.

“I was ready to commit my future to the club. All I wanted were talks about a new contract but each time we were due to sit down, the club postponed it. I was fobbed off.

“I wanted a new five-year contract at Arsenal. In the end I got one — at Barcelona.

“I had been trying for eight months to start talking about a new long-term deal but the club kept postponing me all the time, saying ‘You have three years left’.

“I hadn’t talked about money I just wanted to sit down and discuss a new deal — I wanted to commit my career to the club I loved.

“Then out of the blue, Barcelona came in for me.

“And, suddenly, I was wanted by the biggest club in the world and they wanted to give me a five-year deal," he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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