People are talking nonsense about me - Campbell

Arsenal defender Sol Campbell believes people are plotting against him.

The 30-year-old has suggested racism or his transfer from Tottenham may be the motivation for “nonsense” spread by people with an “agenda”.

The 30-year-old managed only 21 appearances for the Gunners last season and missed the FA Cup final victory over Manchester United.

He is now sidelined with a calf injury and will miss his club’s Barclays Premiership opener against Newcastle today.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger revealed Campbell “feels insecure” about his return.

But Campbell told the News of the World: “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me. What really annoys me is that certain people have jumped on something the gaffer said and twisted it.

“It seems some people have an agenda. Maybe they don’t like my colour or that I left Tottenham. But they are talking nonsense and I don’t deserve this. It’s shocking.

“Lots of players suffer injuries that keep them out for a long time. But they didn’t get this sort of treatment.”

Wenger had said of Campbell: “When you do not play for such a long time you do not know where you stand. He feels insecure.

“He’s not getting the games so he’s going to be worried. If you are a marathon runner and you don’t run for two years you don’t know how you will perform. It’s only natural.

“A great player will come back. He had fitness problems last season but, if he can get a few games together, he will be back.”

Campbell insists he is determined to come back better than ever and is doing everything he can to get fit.

But he admitted: “I had a tough time last season and it did take a toll. But it would have taken a toll on anybody. I was getting injured or getting over injuries for much of the time and that is hard to deal with.

“Then there was the emotional side of becoming a father, the court cases to sort out, how we looked after our baby and then the trauma of my brother being sent to prison.

“All of that was a huge stress. But all that is sorted now and I feel so much better.”