According to reports from The Daily Mail, Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy has criticised manager Arsene Wenger for blocking a potential move to Manchester United during the January transfer window.
The France international was desperate to secure a loan move away from the Emirates last month after making just two Premier League appearances in the first half of the season, with his place in Didier Deschamps’ Euro 2016 squad seriously under threat due to a lack of game-time.
He eventually joined Bordeaux on a six-month loan but Manchester United were also interested in signing the 30-year-old towards the end of the January window with all five of their senior full-backs – Luke Shaw, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young, Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian – sidelined through injury.
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It was later revealed Arsene Wenger personally blocked the potential Old Trafford switch, fearing the consequences of strengthening a divisional rival, and Debuchy has now spoken out against his manager.
As quoted by The Daily Mail, he told French publication Canal+; “I was disappointed, obviously. If I had the chance to go to Manchester United it would have been magnificent. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case. I discussed it with the coach too, who said that obviously he couldn’t help out a rival. Yes, I’m a little bit annoyed with him. It’s his choice.”
And it appears the defender’s criticisms of Le Prof stem back further than the January transfer window, adding; “I had a good pre-season. He said that I would have game time and that we would discuss it in December. Unfortunately, I didn’t have this game time.”