Mikel Arteta remains "fully focused" on guiding Arsenal to Premier League glory this season amid rumours he is wanted by Real Madrid to replace Carlo Ancelotti.
Arsenal are five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the English top flight in pursuit of their first title since the 2003-04 campaign.
Arteta has been widely praised for his work at Emirates Stadium in his third full season in charge, with a report from Spain on Wednesday suggesting Madrid could make a move.
Ancelotti is said to be under pressure as Madrid head coach, despite guiding the club to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season.
However, when asked about the speculation ahead of Arsenal's Europa League last-16 first-leg tie with Sporting CP, Arteta said he is giving it little thought.
"It's things that managers or players can’t control, what is written," he said at Wednesday's pre-match press conference.
"What I can tell you is that I'm fully focused on what I'm doing here and extremely proud and grateful to do what I'm doing in this football club. That's it."
Arteta's focus will switch from the Premier League to Europa League on Thursday when Arsenal take on Portuguese heavyweights Sporting at Estadio Jose Alvalade.
It is the third of six games in the space of 18 days for the Gunners, but Arteta hinted he will not look to rotate his squad for the European tie.
"We have one team and we have to play the games with the best possible players to win it," he said. "There have been moments where we have made eight changes.
"We try to accommodate. Players have moments throughout the season where they're available and when they're not. For sure we will try to pick the best team to win the game.
"Of course everyone wants to play. It's true as well when we've wanted to rotate players they've been injured and unavailable. Tomorrow that may be the case.
"Sometimes it's been difficult and players have to deserve to play the minutes. Being fair in football is very difficult.
"You have to be really good at communicating your decisions to help players understand what you do, but all the time you have to think for the best of the team.
"We want everybody to feel important and we are going to try to make them feel like that."
Gabriel Jesus took part in training on the eve of the Sporting match, but Arteta gave little away when asked if the striker could make his first appearance since November.
"News on the squad will be tomorrow," he said. "We have brought a few players and you will see who is available."
Asked if Kieran Tierney, Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah are available, Arteta said: "Let’s see how they evolve.
"We're trying to accommodate everybody and get them in the best position for tomorrow."
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life after Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life without Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
Ancelotti pleased with 'influential' Mbappe despite LaLiga goal drought
Carlo Ancelotti has said he is pleased with the start Kylian Mbappe has made at Real Madrid, despite the fact he has not yet scored a league goal.
Mbappe joined Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in June and scored in their 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup but three weeks on, has yet to open his account in the league.
The 25-year-old has taken eight shots so far, five of which have been on target, missing some presentable chances, although his manager is not worried.
“(Mbappe) is playing very well even if he hasn’t scored yet. His influence creates danger,” said Ancelotti ahead of their clash with Real Betis this Sunday.
“For me (Vinicius Jr. and Mbappe) are teaming up well, the offensive work is being done very well. It hasn’t been a problem because we’ve scored goals in every game.
“With time, they will team up better, not just Vini and Mbappe but Mbappe with the midfielders as well.
“Offensively, we don’t have a problem. We haven’t had it these years and we’re not going to have it not that we have the best strikers in the world.”
Ancelotti also suggested that he is not worried about his team’s slow start to the LaLiga season, but appreciates that criticism is understandable.
Real Madrid have won one and drawn two of their opening three matches and are currently four points behind league leaders Barcelona, who have won all three.
“It’s absolutely normal because the demands on this team are at their highest,” he said.
“We are going to be criticised until May, this is normal for us. We are not happy because we are four points behind.”
But the Italian was quick to temper any overreactions.
“The season is very long and that (points difference) doesn’t mean much,” he said.
“We are trying to solve our problems. So far we have not been able to have a compact block and we have to improve this.
“I have talked about it with the players and they agree. When the problem is clear, it is easy to fix it.”
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