Athletic Bilbao have decided to drop their interest in Nacho Monreal as the player wants to stay at Arsenal.

The Spanish media report that the 31-year-old is very happy with his squad status and manager at Arsenal. Only Alexis Sanchez played more minutes this season for Arsenal and it’s obvious that the manager has plenty of faith in the Spaniard.

Monreal made a total of 43 appearances, scored three goals and made six assists in all competitions last season. He was often called to play outside his comfort zone as Wenger used him to fill in as a centre-back on multiple occasions.

Monreal repaid that faith from the manager and looked like one of the best performers in the squad through most of the season.

With the signing of Sead Kolasinac, Monreal might lose his place to the younger Bosnian international yet he is still determined to fight for his place and could find himself as a centreback more often than anything else. He also spoke recently about the hope that Arsenal would take up the option to extend his contract to 2020.

The possibility of a deal being made with Athletic Bilbao was considered to be remote, but the manager of Bilbao, Jose Angel Ziganda, still holds Monreal in high regards and wishes to bring him to San Mames because of his heritage.