Arsenal's Elneny made reporter walk out of interview after voicing transfer wish
Mohamed Elneny's admission of his dream to play at the Nou Camp led to a journalist walking out of an interview with the now-Arsenal star.
The midfielder has been with the Gunners since January 2016, winning the FA Cup a year later. He now fills more of a back-up role in Mikel Arteta's squad, though in February did extend his contract until the end of this season after a series of impressive displays.
Just over a decade ago though, Elneny was a long way from being part of a team challenging for the Premier League title. Between 2010 and 2013, the midfielder was featuring for Egyptian Premier League side Al Mokawloon, who tended to finish in midtable.
That led to an infamous interview with one member of the media, who appeared to be left overwhelmed when Elneny discussed his dream. The midfielder was mocked for his wish to play at Barcelona, but it was one that would eventually be granted.
"I remember one journalist was talking to me in Egypt and he asked me, last question, he said to me: ‘Mo, where you do you want to play?' I was playing for a club (Al Mokawloon) in the middle of the table in Egypt," he said.
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"But I said to him ‘I want to play at the Nou Camp in Barcelona ’. I swear to you, he just walked off and didn’t continue the interview with me, no thank you, no goodbye or anything, he just walked off.
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A reporter left an interview with Mohamed Elneny after the midfielder revealed his dream of playing at the Nou Camp (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)“My friend said ‘Look where you are. Look where you are in the middle of the table in Egypt, how are you going to get to one of the best teams in the world?' If you don’t dream big in football you will not get anything. If you dream big at least you’re going to be close. This is what I really believe."
Just a few months after joining Arsenal, Elneny played in the Gunners' Champions League defeat to Barcelona at the Nou Camp. The midfielder even scored, becoming the first-ever Egyptian to do so against Barca, a feat that meant the world to him.
“My goal against Barcelona was very special for me. In the first half, Alexis Sanchez passed the ball to me but I couldn’t score as my shot was blocked by Barcelona’s defenders," Elneny told TV channel DMC Sports back in 2016.
“During the half-time break, Alexis told me that I should have just shot the ball first time and not to take a touch, so I decided that I will shoot any ball first time in the second half. I am very happy with my performance and my goal against Barcelona."
A knee injury has derailed the 31-year-old's season so far, with the midfielder making just one appearance in all competitions. Even that was only an eight-minute cameo in the win over Brentford in the Carabao Cup, with Elneny facing a fight for his future at the Gunners.
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