Nice midfielder Jean-Michael Seri has said he will not move clubs in January.

The Ivorian midfielder was linked with Arsenal throughout the summer, but a move didn’t materialise.

Barcelona were also heavily linked and were favourites to sign him at one point. However, that move didn’t happen, either.

As always with moves that don’t happen in the summer, there’s some speculation that Arsenal or Barcelona could try again when the window reopens in January.

Seri, though, has told L’Equipe that no matter what, he will not be leaving Nice until June at the earliest.

“I’ll tell you today, there’s no question of me leaving in the winter,” Seri said.

“I will not move, no matter whatever club comes. I am at Nice until next June and there is no debate.

“Today, my conclusion is this: it did not happen because I was not the priority of Barça.

“Now I want to do things well, to have a better season than the previous one. Not because I want to go to a big club like Barcelona, ​​but because I want to have a very good season.”

If Arsenal are planning on signing a midfielder in January, it seems they will have to look else where.

Midfield is one area that fans thought needed to be strengthened if Arsenal are to have a successful season. That no-one arrived suggested that Wenger has faith in his current midfield options.

That view could change in the coming months, especially if those options don’t perform as well as expected.

Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey have already come in for criticism this season, while Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny aren’t fully convincing.

Even if Arsenal do decide to make a move for Seri, it’s clear that the player would prefer a move to Barcelona. Any hope they have of landing him would rest on the Spaniards not bothering to do anything about that.