Arsenal latest: Cesc Fabregas sends message as Mikel Arteta accused of keeping secret

football.london takes a look at the latest news from the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta facing a new accusation

Mikel Arteta is facing the most intense scrutiny of his Arsenal tenure.

Following back-to-back exits from the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, the manager's Premier League title aspirations are now also in jeopardy. Last week's 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth did little to ease worries that Arsenal's campaign may be falling apart at the crucial stage - mirroring previous seasons under the Spaniard.

Sunday's league visit to Manchester City represents the most important match of the season, with a loss closing the gap to second-placed City - who boast a game in hand - to just three points.

Question marks have already arisen over whether Arteta will stay on if the Gunners fail to end their 22-year wait for a league title this term, as injury issues continue to plague the north London club. football.london now examines two of the latest developments surrounding the league leaders.

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Mikel Arteta 'keeping secret'

Former Norwegian footballer Steffen Iversen has claimed Arsenal may be concealing the true nature of Martin Odegaard's persistent knee issue. The Gunners captain has been in and out of the side all season long due to various injuries.

The most significant setback has been a knee problem he first picked up against West Ham back in October, which forced the Norwegian off the pitch. Having returned to action in late November, Odegaard was once more unable to complete the match against Brentford owing to a knee concern in February.

The persistent issue has sidelined him for the bulk of fixtures since, with the 27-year-old rarely managing to feature in back-to-back matches. This has prompted questions regarding the true severity of his knee problem from outside observers, with former Tottenham striker Iversen suggesting there may be more to the situation than what Arteta reveals in press conferences.

He told Dagbladet: "It depends on what’s going on inside the knee. We on the outside don’t get to know everything. They always keep something secret. It could be things that aren’t good. Then he’s come back. It feels OK. And yet, it’s not quite right after all."

Cesc Fabregas fires message

Cesc Fabregas has provided an insight into his future at Como by highlighting his commitment to the Italian side. The former Arsenal captain has turned their fortunes around since taking over as permanent manager in 2024, having previously played for the club, acted as interim boss and then as assistant manager.

With Como currently fifth in Serie A and on course for potential Champions League football next season, Fabregas' promising start to management has turned heads across Europe. Inevitably, he has been linked with a future role at both English clubs he represented during his playing days — Chelsea and Arsenal.

Some have even suggested the Spaniard could eventually succeed Arteta when the current Gunners boss brings his tenure at the Emirates Stadium to a close. Arteta is reportedly in discussions with the Arsenal hierarchy regarding a contract extension, despite speculation that his position could come under threat should the title slip from their grasp this term.

However, Fabregas recently admitted that a departure from Como this summer appears unlikely for the time being. He said: "I am very committed to this project. You never know but right now I think it’s very unlikely I’ll leave Como.

"Last year, I wanted to see how other clubs operated. I mentioned it to the president, but I decided to stay. I’m very happy with what we’ve been able to achieve." As quoted by the Metro, Fabregas added: "This is an important project. I need to feel good here. It’s important that my family is happy, and if they’re happy in Como, I’ll stay."

On the subject of a potential future role managing the Italian national side, Fabregas added: "Maybe someday. Right now, I'm too much of a coach and I need to be on the pitch every day. Being the national team coach right now might be boring, too much free time. In the future, when I'm older, you never know."