Youssouf Mulumbu will not be sanctioned by West Brom after appearing to criticise the club and suggest he was looking to join Arsenal during the January transfer window.
In an interview with France Football, midfielder Mulumbu claimed his Baggies team-mates were unprofessional and immature, adding he had been approached by Arsenal and is “ready to join a top-four club”.
That is despite the fact the 26-year-old Congo international only signed a new contract over the summer through to the end of the 2017 season.
Mulumbu is adamant his quotes have been misinterpreted and he is now “not very happy” about how his answers have been reported by the French journalist concerned.
Mulumbu, suspended for Wednesday’s visit to The Hawthorns of Manchester City, added: “I have been here for five years now and would never refer to my team-mates that way.
“I just spoke about the fact we need to get better at controlling games after the points we’ve let slip recently.
“The general point I was trying to make in the interview is I want to play at the highest level possible.
“I admitted there has been interest in me from other clubs during my time here, but I didn’t speak about Arsenal and I also didn’t say I would be looking to move in January.
“Not many people had heard of me when I joined West Brom and I have a lot of respect for the club and, of course, the supporters.
“We have progressed together over the past five years and West Brom gave me my chance in the Premier League, which I’m grateful for.
“I signed a new contract last summer and my only focus is supporting my team-mates tomorrow and then trying to help the club finish as high up the table as possible.”
Despite the unnecessary distraction ahead of the clash with City, head coach Steve Clarke is far from concerned.
“I’ve read the transcript and there is a lot in it that is quite ambiguous and interpreted in different ways, and some people will interpret it in the way they want,” said Clarke.
“I’ve spoken to my player, the club have also spoken to the player, and there’ll be no action.
“We’re happy with the explanation we’ve got and the situation as it has transpired. I know it’s a journalist who put in the word Arsenal, not Youssouf.”
Written by George Coomber
