Mathieu Debuchy, Arsenal’s forgotten man has confirmed about his desire to leave the club permanently in January and his time at the Emirates club seems to be heading towards a forgettable conclusion.
The French full-back whose two and a half years at the club has been blemished with injuries and the emergence of Hector Bellerin, limiting his number of first team league appearances to just 13, is presently nursing a hamstring problem suffered on his sole appearance this term.
In fact, the French international who was signed from Newcastle for £12million as a replacement for Bacary Sagna has been reduced to a backup for the young Spaniard and was shipped on loan to Bordeaux in the winter transfer window last term.
Manchester United were also reported to have been keen on bringing him to Old Trafford but the move was blocked by Arsene and he instead moved to France.
And the former Newcastle defender has revealed in an interview with French magazine L’Équipe, his annoyance at his manager’s refusal to let him leave, despite not being in his first team plans. He explained:
I wasn’t playing a lot, it was United, there’s nothing else to say. For me, it was almost unexpected, but the coach said no.
It’s something I did not appreciate. He wasn’t using me, so I didn’t see his interest in doing that.
Debuchy, who has played under Garcia at Lille before joining Newcastle has confirmed his desire to leave the club on a permanent deal and has been tipped as a possible target for the Stade Velodrome outfit. He wants a new challenge and is waiting on his representatives to report back with a firm offer. He added:
I want a new challenge, I miss not having that excitement, the adrenaline.
I would prefer a permanent transfer but I’m under contract. If the club says no, what can I do?
Honestly, I do not know what will happen. I told my agents to come back to me only if there was something concrete.
Afterwards, Marseilles, it remains Marseille. Although the results have been a bit difficult, it remains one of the biggest clubs in Ligue 1. What’s more, there’s a beautiful project that is being set up with a coach that I know well.
He has also shed light on his fractious relationship with Arsene Wenger, saying:
“We acknowledge each other, we say hello, nothing more.”
Debuchy has a contract with the club till 2019, but given the lack of self-confidence in Jenkinson he is the most viable alternative present to Bellerin and might still have an important role to play this season if Bellerin gets injured.
Would he be willing to stay as a backup once he’s fit? That seems to be the question and judging by this interview its amply clear that he wants to leave.
So given his current relationship with the gaffer which has turned somewhat frosty since he was denied a move to Manchester United last winter, it seems highly unlikely Arsenal would stand in his way if he were to request a transfer at this point.
