I agree. Some people may resent him but i firmly believe he never asked to leave Everton. PErhaps bordering on the conspiracy theory tetatory here but i think the version i have id different. At the time we were loaning 2 players in and selling two strikers to fund it, then arteta suddenly asks for a move 30 minutes before deadline? He took the fall for the club in my eyes, they planned to sell him and deflected it to look like he wanted to leave.
Biggest evidence, since when does Wenger sign players without a medical or thoroughly checking a player, especially after a serious 9 month out injury?