Mikel Arteta plays down talk of new Arsenal contract, Eberechi Eze back from injury

[p]British media ‌reported that the London club held positive initial talks with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arteta-mikel/lAbHYaQM/"]Arteta[/a] ‌over his current deal, which expires at the end ‌of next season.[/p][p]It comes after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a]'s silverware hopes were reduced ‌from four competitions to two after defeats by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester ‌City[/a] in the League Cup final and Championship side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a] in the FA Cup quarter-finals.[/p][p]Arsenal secured a 1-0 win at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sporting-cp/tljXuHBC/"]Sporting[/a] ‌in the first leg of their Champions ⁠League quarter-final earlier this ‌week, and are also on course for their first Premier ​League title in 22 years, sitting top on 70 points from 31 games, nine clear of second-placed ​Manchester City.[/p][embed guid="6318bdac-3134-475e-9844-94909873a8a1" url="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2042573536330682759" social-type="twitter" /][p]When asked about a contract extension, Arteta said his focus remains on the current campaign.[/p][p]"[b]There is no ⁠news on that. We ​don't have time to discuss that now[/b]," Arteta told reporters.[/p][p]"[b]The full focus is on what we have to do from here until the end of the season[/b].[/p][p]"I am fully ‌committed here. I am really happy and I feel good. My family's good. I still have so much ambition and things to do at this club. For now, we are in a good place."[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eze-eberechi/Stf4BYFn/"]Eberechi Eze[/a] returned to training on Thursday after recovering from injury, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/odegaard-martin/ID32TGhp/"]Martin Odegaard[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saka-bukayo/08NLEo06/"]Bukayo Saka[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hincapie-pedro/2TTElOLP/"]Piero Hincapie[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/calafiori-riccardo/CEwq7x7l/"]Riccardo Calafiori[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/timber-jurrien/hSaoLOM4/"]Jurrien Timber[/a] were among those not involved.[/p][p]Arteta said forward Eze would ‌be available [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/bournemouth-OtpNdwrc/?mid=jcHwYvNG"]for Saturday[/a] without offering an update on ​the other absentees.[/p][image alt="Arsenal are nine points clear at the summit" id="5d7d71ec-1555-41dd-b9b3-0aad7adcaddc" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="0c3b7113-6532-4466-9f16-24009b301b2a" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Arteta also reserved praise for opposition manager ‌Andoni Iraola, who has led [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bournemouth/OtpNdwrc/"]Bournemouth[/a] to 13th in the standings with 42 points.[/p][p]"It's amazing what he's done together with the club," the Spaniard said.[/p][p]"[b]The consistency they have shown and the manner they've done it, ⁠with the amount of ⁠players they've sold, they ‌have reinvented themselves[/b]."[/p]