Transfer Centre

Demba Ba: 'There has been no Arsenal approach'

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 22 December 2013

Chelsea striker Demba Ba dismisses talks of him joining Arsenal in January by insisting that he is prepared to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge.

Demba Ba has ruled out signing for Arsenal in January by insisting that he wants to compete for a regular starting spot at Chelsea.

The Gunners were rumoured to have had a loan bid rejected for the former Newcastle United striker in the summer and are apparently planning another offer for him when the transfer window reopens, as they continue to look for forward alternatives to Olivier Giroud.

Ba has largely been third choice in Jose Mourinho's rotation system this term and has thus been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge, but he has stressed that he wants to remain with the Blues, where he thinks his career is slowly improving.

"People talk a lot about me joining Arsenal," The Sun quotes Ba as saying. "But there has never been an approach from them.

"There is nothing going on in this regard. Things are OK for me at the moment. It's working, as the situation is turning around for me here bit by bit. I am getting more time on the pitch as a result of the injuries to our strikers Samuel Eto'o and Fernando Torres.

"You just need a bit of time to adapt when you change clubs. I've been in a process of adaptation while moving between West Ham, Newcastle and Chelsea. But as soon as I'm given the chance to prove myself, I take it so the fact that I've often been on the substitute's bench is nothing serious."

Ba has scored nine goals in all competitions for Chelsea, having made 39 appearances since arriving from St James' Park last winter.