Arsenal star admits he ‘would like to return’ to home country with contract expiring in June
Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has admitted he would like to return to Serie A after five years away from his home country.
Jorginho moved to England when Chelsea snapped him up from Italian giants Napoli for a fee in the region of £50million.
He made 213 appearances for the Blues, winning the Champions League, Europa League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup before joining Arsenal in January.
Mikel Arteta brought Jorginho to the Emirates after failing to land Ecuadorian international Moises Caicedo from Brighton.
The Spanish manager was eager to bolster his midfield to help maintain his side’s challenge for the Premier League title but they ultimately fell short to Manchester City.
Jorginho penned an 18-month deal when he joined the Gunners, meaning he is out of contract at the end of the season.
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There is no talk of negotiations over a new contract but if he does agree fresh terms, it will likely only be a one-year extension.
With Thomas Partey frequently picking up injuries, Jorginho has filled in probably more than he expected when signing on the dotted line earlier this year but has admitted he is hoping to return to Italy in the future.
“I’m very much in doubt, I would like to return but I don’t know when the right time would be,” he said ahead of the Azzurri’s European Championship qualifier against North Macedonia.
“I want to return yes, but I don’t know when, I feel I still have things to do at Arsenal. It always takes time when you change teams, but the first six months at Arsenal were not negative, on the contrary.
“Obviously, it takes time to understand the mechanisms better, Arteta gives you a billion pieces of information but I’m very happy there.”
Jorginho was also high in praise of Arsenal manager Arteta, who has helped the ex-Chelsea midfielder progress as a player.
“I have grown a lot on the pitch, in experience,” Jorginho added. “I changed teams, coaches, therefore more information. I understood the game even more and how to compete.
“Competing does not just mean playing well, but also comes from experience. And this I try to pass this experience on to my teammates too.”
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