Arsenal appear to have pulled out of the race to sign Jean Seri, as Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea are now reportedly contesting his signature.

The media linked the Gunners with Seri for most of the summer and the midfielder admitted Arsenal were one of the teams he’d join, causing even more speculation.

He, of course, ended up staying with Nice.

Now, talkSPORT write that Liverpool, City and Chelsea are all following the midfielder. They claim Nice are willing to accept £20m now, since the Ivorian’s contract is running closer to its expiry.

However, they make no mention of the Gunners in this latest report.

Perhaps Arsenal have cooled their interest in a player of Seri’s profile, particularly after Jack Wilshere’s return to the side. The team doesn’t really need another small, technical midfielder.

They need one who contributes heavily at one end or the other, and the Nice man doesn’t particularly excel at either.

Seri’s passing is fantastic, but he only has three assists and one goal for the season, and Whoscored.com list tackling and aerial duels as weaknesses in his game.

It might not matter anyway, since the 26-year-old said in September that he wouldn’t leave in the winter.

He was pretty adamant about it at the time, saying: “I’ll tell you today, there’s no question of me leaving in the winter. I will not move, no matter whatever club comes. I am at Nice until next June and there is no debate.”

Maybe he’s changed his mind since then, but either way, the media aren’t linking him to Arsenal anymore.

So for now, the story doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.