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Brazil head coach Tite apologises to Mikel Arteta for Arsenal links

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Reports in Brazil linked Tite to the Arsenal job, but the national team boss has brushed aside all rumours.

Brazil boss Tite has hit out at rumours linking him to a job at Arsenal and apologised to Mikel Arteta, revealing he was saddened by the ‘fake news’.

The 60-year-old is set to leave his post following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and reports in Brazil last week claimed he had spoken with Arsenal technical director Edu about taking over as manager.

Tite and Edu worked together previously at Corinthians, and Edu also worked as Brazil’s general coordinator for three years from 2016.

But the Brazil boss has squashed all rumours, describing them as a “lie”.

“My feeling is of sadness. I feel sad. I am sad because the information given to the public is a lie. The information is a lie,” Tite said as quoted by UOL.

“And the people I represent and feel identified with me, rest assured, because Tite has a personal conduct, values his professional activity and knows the responsibility of the Brazilian national team.”

“Sorry, Arsenal, sorry, Arteta. It wasn’t that situation. It didn’t come from us. No, there is absolutely nothing. No person connected to me, Gilmar Veloz…,” Tite added.

“My word of honour is that there is no one, not even from me and Gilmar, who can talk about it. My wife, rest assured. Miro, my brothers, rest assured, your brother has dignity in what he does, I have great respect for being coach of the national team and for the competition, for the World Cup, which is what matters most.”

Tite has been in charge at Brazil since 2016, and won the Copa America title in 2019 – the country’s first since 2007.

Brazil have also had a flawless World Cup qualifying campaign, winning 13 and drawing three of their 16 qualifying games. They take on Bolivia in a qualifier on March 30 and will be looking to build on their momentum with another win.

At the time of writing, Brazil are favourites to win, with Bet365 pricing odds at 1.44, which suggests they have a 69 percent chance of beating Bolivia on Tuesday.

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