These days, football fans love nothing more than looking for hidden messages in a footballer’s social media activity.
Just look at the recent fuss surrounding Anthony Martial, for example. Having switched squad numbers with the incoming Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Manchester United, some will have you believe that the Frenchman is angling for a move away from Old Trafford.
Why? Because he’s apparently stopped following the club on Instagram and Twitter. It’s the ‘he’s put his house up for sale’ for the modern age.
On Monday, it was recently-retired Mikel Arteta’s Instagram account activity that was making waves.
Arteta called time on his playing days at the end of last season, budding farewell to Arsenal in the process. Weeks later, he accepted a role on Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City.
Now, if his Instagram account is anything to go by, Arteta is keen to wipe all trace of his Arsenal past having deleted every single image showing him in Gunners colours.
Image: Former captain Mikel Arteta has deleted all of his Arsenal-related posts on Instagram. #afc pic.twitter.com/rWXQ5WK2ck
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) July 25, 2016
At the time of writing, only two posts are visible on Arteta’s account – both of which show him in Manchester City clobber as he directs training sessions. As you’d probably guess, the posts have attracted plenty of snake emoji replies from disappointed Arsenal supporters.
Although disappointed, the move gave many an Arsenal fan the perfect opportunity to tell the world that Arteta was crap, anyway.
Arteta played about 30 seconds last season and managed to cost us two games, hopefully Arsenal do the same and delete him from our history
— Reigning and Defending (@SproIes) July 25, 2016
Arteta was a big game liability, Fergie always managed to take him out of the game and teams like City, Liverpool ran rings around him.
— 🦁Invincible (@UnrealMonrealFC) July 25, 2016
https://twitter.com/rackedupshawwty/status/757547959743606785
https://twitter.com/Goonertren/status/757552323828875265
It’s just like any messy breakup, isn’t it?
