'Did not even want to listen to Wenger' says Sergi Samper after confirming Arsenal approach

Barcelona midfielder Sergi Samper has confirmed that he rejected an offer to join Arsenal as he wants to succeed in his hometown club.

The 21-year-old is currently on a season-long loan at Granada and hopes to return to the Catalan club and stake a claim for a regular role in the first-team in the future. Arsene Wenger was keen to bring the defensive midfielder to the Emirates Stadium, but he admitted that he 'did not want to even listen' to the offer from the Frenchman.

"I did not want to even listen to Wenger," Samper said, as quoted by the London Evening Standard.

"I made it clear to him that I wanted to stay, that I wanted to triumph at Barca, that I was a Cule fanatic and that making it at Barca in the future would make me the happiest," the Spain U21 international added.

Samper has made just one senior appearance for the Spanish giants since emerging from the youth team in 2014. Luis Enrique has a number of options in midfield, and the Spaniard is behind Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Andre Gomes and Denis Suarez in the pecking order, and will have to bide his time to stake a claim for a regular place.

He is currently playing for relegation threatened Granada in the La Liga and has made 14 appearances in all competitions. Samper admitted that he is enjoying his time and is hoping that the club can get out of their current situation before the end of the season.

"I feel important in the team. I am enjoying where I am and I hope that we can change the situation," the Barcelona loanee added about his spell at Granada, as quoted by fourfourtwo.com.