Debuchy blasts Wenger for turning down Man United move

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Bengaluru, February 7: Struggling former Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy might have salvaged his career after he agreed to move to Ligue 1 side St. Etienne on a free transfer, however, the player has stated that he is still angry with his former manager Arsene Wenger.

Debuchy joined Arsenal from Newcastle United in 2014 with a lot of expectations, but never made it big at the Emirates due to his consistent injury problems and performance issue.

The emergence of another youngster Hector Bellerin also did not go well for him as the right-fullback could only make 22 appearances in Premier League over four years.

But in 2016, when the French international was fighting for game time in the squad, then United boss Louis van Gaal gave the senior player an opportunity to revive his career and made a bid for the player.

However, Wenger immediately refused to sanction the transfer because he didn't want to help out a direct rival. The player was later sent on loan at Bordeaux instead but there he again suffered a long-term injury at the French club. And the Former Arsenal defender now has admitted that he was pretty angry with Arsene Wenger for blocking that move to Manchester United.

"There were some difficult moments at Arsenal, times when of course I was angry with the coach," Debuchy told RMC.

"I had an opportunity to be loaned to Manchester United, that he rejected, because he didn't want to strengthen a direct rival at the time. There were things said that I didn't necessarily like. But that's in the past. That's how it is, that's football."

Debuchy has not appeared in Premier league this season and only played just once for the Gunners in 2018, an FA Cup appearance against Nottingham Forest. He also has two EFL Cup matches under his belt this season, and four appearances in Europa League. Hence for more game time the player mutually ended his Gunners contract in January and returned to his native country in a free transfer with Saint-Etienne.