Joey Barton: 'I was close to joining Arsenal'

Joey Barton has admitted that he was close to joining Arsenal after being told he could leave Newcastle United on a free transfer.

However, following a clash with Gunners attacker Gervinho on the opening day of the season while playing for the Magpies, the 29-year-old revealed that his chances of signing on at the Emirates Stadium evaporated.

The midfielder eventually joined Queens Park Rangers, but he confesses that things could have been different.

"If I hadn't played against Arsenal, I may have signed for them," Barton told BBC Sport.

"There were a couple of conversations [with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger] but that's different to actually signing.

"The Gervinho incident happened and there's nothing I can do about it now. If it happened again, I'd like to think I'd deal with it differently."

Barton has been made Rangers captain by manager Neil Warnock.