Marcus McGuane has revealed that he never spoke to Arsene Wenger while at the club despite being there for 13 years. At least, that’s how it’s being spun.

The S*n, who are already calling him a ‘Barcelona Ace’ despite him only playing 14 minutes for the Catalan side in the Catalan Super Cup this week, say that “Marcus McGuane reveals he never spoke with Arsene Wenger about future during his 12 years at Arsenal” but that isn’t exactly what the youngster said.

 “I didn’t have any conversations with him,” McGuane said.

“I thought if I kept working hard, I would get opportunities. It didn’t come.

“There’s no grudge but I felt the best thing was to find another way.

“If you want to be at a place to develop and get first-team football, maybe you have to look elsewhere than Arsenal.”

McGuane made two appearances for Arsenal – both in the Europa League – and even though he only got six minutes, it’s hard to think that Arsene Wenger didn’t bother to speak to him at all.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he had a conversation with him about his future but it all seems more than a little odd that a player coveted by Barcelona would be allowed to leave Arsenal without so much as even a chat.

The head of Barca’s youth football couldn’t speak higher of the Hale End graduate yet we are being led to believe he was allowed to just waltz out of Arsenal without so much as a chat over a cup of tea.

“We’ve brought Marcus here with the idea he can eventually go to the first team,” Jose Mari Bakero told the Daily Mail. “He has fantastic physical attributes, he is two-footed, his touch is sharp, good awareness… he has all that we would look for in a midfield player for the Barcelona first team. But he must work hard.”

“It feels incredible,” McGuane told Sportsmail. “When you go to first-team training, you go into the dressing room first. That first walk was so exciting. The first person I saw was Sergio Busquets. As a central midfielder, seeing him in the flesh, one of the best in the world on the ball, his grace, technical ability… then I saw Coutinho… then Messi!

“You don’t want to act too star-struck but I grew up watching these guys on television. Five of us were over there from the B team. The first-teamers came up and said “Hi” as they got their kits together. Coutinho heard my English accent, made me feel welcome, and said he was there if I need anything.”

McGuane reportedly has a £22m release clause.