Dani Ceballos has said it was his decision to stay at Arsenal during the January transfer window.
Whilst Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares arrived at the Emirates Stadium on loan last month, there was talk of the Spain international's season-long loan deal being terminated earlier than anticipated.
Reports in Spain via Sport Witness reported that Ceballos wanted out of his loan agreement with the Gunners over a lack of playing time and that Valencia were eyeing a move for the Real Madrid playmaker.
However, the winter window closed with the 23-year-old still in north London - a decision which was made by the midfielder.
"I have never had a quiet market, neither summer nor winter," Ceballos confirmed in an interview with Spanish publication Marca. "The first year of Betis were already Madrid and Barça interested in me, then I signed with Madrid, then already in January that if I wanted Betis back, after the European to Arsenal, now back to other teams.
"It is a sign of that you do things fairly well so that there are teams that are interested in you.
"But it is also true that I like a stability in a club and I decided to stay in Arsenal because it is who opted for me and I want to restore confidence because I think it is time to step forward."
Ceballos was then asked if there was a clause which would have allowed him to leave in January and he said: "No, when you think about things coldly.
"It seems simple nonsense but Arsenal fans have a song dedicated to me, there are only three or four players on the team who have their song and have been there for many years.
"I feel very dear, every time I play in the Emirates, or go out to warm up the fans continuously is always supporting me."
With that said, Ceballos does acknowledge that he needs to be playing regularly if he's to make the Spain squad for this summer's European Championships.
"Yes, because there is a European Championship at stake," he added. "When you get into an outburst because you don't play five or six games, nervousness begins, but when you rethink it you know that you come from an injury of two and a half months and that your physique you think is one hundred percent but it is not.
"You put everything on the scale, you think with your feet on the ground, you know that the one who opted for you was Arsenal and you have to return that trust through work and to reverse the situation.
"If I achieve it, it will have more value, the fact of returning from an injury and helping the team to achieve the objectives, will leave a better feeling than if I had made the cowardly decision to leave and leave the equipment planted.
"Arsenal bet on me and I can't let them down."
