Rangers ready to listen to Arteta offers

Rangers are willing to listen to offers for Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta.

The 21-year-old wants to return to his homeland after just one season at Ibrox, in which he helped the club to the treble.

The £5.8m (€8.24m) signing from Barcelona has been linked with a return to the Catalan club and Atletico Madrid are also interested.

Arteta and his agent, Miguel Santos, held a meeting with Rangers’ director of football business Martin Bain last week.

And the player, who has three years of his contract left to run, made it clear he wanted out.

Bain told www.rangers.co.uk: “We had a meeting with Miguel Santos and Mikel Arteta on the Monday following the (Tennent’s Scottish) Cup final at Murray Park (Rangers’ training ground).

“The meeting was requested by Mikel Arteta because within his contract there is reference to holding an annual meeting to discuss the player’s development.

“At the meeting he indicated his desire to return to Spain. We had told him that we wanted him to stay.

“However we will not stand in the player’s way if the price is good and it is good business for Rangers.”