"I haven't spoken to Arsene," he told the Guardian when asked about speculation of a return to the Gunners last summer. "I know that Arsene was maybe interested but there were perhaps some people on the board who couldn't accept how I left in the first place. But at the same time they bought me for £500,000 and sold me for £22m, they paid for a new training ground from that and all the rest.

"When I had to leave I left but they did very well in terms of money. If they can't accept that . . . I didn't want any money and thanks to me they got lots of money. I don't know why they're being like that."