Sources close to Alex Song have hit back at claims that the Cameroon international was lazy and lacked discipline.

The 24 year old has completed a £15 million move to Barcelona and is the second integral Gunner to leave in the past week following Robin Van Persie’s transfer to Manchester United.

Telegraph Sport reports the midfielder who may be adapted into a centre-half at Catalonia is furious with the claims, “Alex Song was massively committed to Arsenal, he loved the club and was dying to sign a new contract”, said a source close to the former Arsenal man.

“We tried six times to renegotiate his contract. Then Barcelona came in and Alex still wanted a new contract. When they said we’d all sit down on September 1 that was the final straw.”

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The disparaging comments directed at Song were strange and unexpected, losing important players to domestic and European rivals is nothing new to Arsenal. Yet few former players have been subject to such a public criticism.