Arsene Wenger has earned glowing praise from most of the players he’s coached, but one former Arsenal player had a complaint about the Frenchman.
Wenger left Arsenal in 2018 after 22 years in charge, taking a part of the club with him as he stepped away from management.
Over the years, the manager oversaw the Gunners win three Premier League titles and, in the latter stages of his career, ensured Arsenal remained in Europe at a testing time.
From Thierry Henry to Mathieu Debuchy, Wenger saw all walks of life represent the North Londoners, with the latter having a thing to say about the former manager back in 2018.
Why Mathieu Debuchy was unhappy with Arsene Wenger
Arsenal signed Debuchy from Newcastle United in 2014, acquiring the defender to bolster Wenger’s back line.
The Frenchman had only spent a year and a half in the Premier League in the North East before joining Arsenal, whom he represented for three and a half years.
Debuchy wasn’t the most memorable of players that Wenger had coached in North London, but something about his time in N5 really grated on the fullback.
In an interview with RMC, Debuchy revealed that Wenger made him ‘angry’ by denying him the opportunity to sign for Manchester United on loan.
“There were difficult times at Arsenal, times when I was obviously angry with the manager,” Debuchy said.
“I had an opportunity, on loan at Manchester United, which he refused because he didn’t want to strengthen a direct competitor at the time. There were speeches that I didn’t necessarily like. But that’s the past. That’s how it is, that’s football.”
Wenger wasn’t prepared to allow Debuchy to leave to strengthen Manchester United, which frustrated the Frenchman and arguably some Arsenal fans too.
Though Debuchy wasn’t allowed to join a rival, a long list of players coached by Wenger had made the move before, take Robin van Persie, for example.
What is Debuchy doing now?
Debuchy pulled the plug on his time at Arsenal in January 2018, signing for Saint-Etienne on a free transfer.
Before then, the former France international had spent time on loan at Bordeaux, as his status in the Arsenal squad had become sporadic.
Four and a half years after leaving the Emirates, Debuchy retired, with his last club being Valenciennes FC, a side in the third tier of French football.
Though the now 39-year-old hung his boots up in 2023, he remains close to the game, taking on a coaching role at LOSC Lille B, where he assumes the position of assistant manager.
Debuchy left Arsenal having represented the Gunners only 30 times, being a player plagued by injury and unable to maintain his position in the pecking order.
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