Arsenal loanee Joel Campbell sends cryptic message following reports of Gunners return

Arsenal loanee Joel Campbell has sent a cryptic message on Twitter following reports claiming Sporting CP are ready to send him back to the Emirates Stadium at the end of the season.

The 24-yeard-old forward agreed a loan move to the Portuguese side during the summer transfer window after failing to break into Arsene Wenger plans during the 2015-16 campaign – scoring four goals for the Gunners but being restricted to only 11 starting appearance in the Premier League during the whole season.

The Costa Rica international was expected to play a key part for the Portuguese side in their attempts to fight for the Liga Nos title with Benfica and Porto.

However, the Arsenal loanee has since only started seven league games while his side are third in the table, 12 points behind Benfica.

On Thursday morning (9 March) O Jogo reported Sporting have decided to send Campbell back to Arsenal once his loan agreement expires, rather than seek an extension.

The Portuguese publication said Sporting were originally ready to invest up to €15m (£13m, $15.8m) in getting his services on permanent basis, but have now decided that money would be better spent elsewhere. Nevertheless, earlier this month Sporting announced that they have exercised a purchase option to sign Sebastian Coates from Sunderland, as the former Liverpool centre-back has become a key player for them during the current campaign.

But only hours after the reports in O Jogo, Campbell took to social media to issue an enigmatic message which appeared to be a response to the stories.

The Arsenal loanne tweeted a number of crying laughing emoticons while adding: "How do people invent".

Campbell moved to Arsenal in the summer of 2011 as a prospect for the future and has subsequently enjoyed spells on loan at Lorient, Real Betis, Olympiakos and Villarreal.