We all know that Matthieu Debuchy was miserable at the beginning of the season and had the hump because he wasn’t given back his Arsenal first-team place back over the younger Hector Bellerin, and after just playing two league games and four Cup games in the first half of the season, he is now even more upset.
The France manager Didier Deschamps made it clear earlier this year that Debuchy would lose his place in the national team if he wasn’t playing regularly, and with the Euros being held in his home country next summer he is desperate to win his place back. Debuchy admitted that he had spoken to Arsene Wenger about his position. He said: “We talked about my situation in pre-season, I haven’t talked to him recently, but we’ll talk before the transfer window,” Debuchy told French radio station RMC.
“I really need to play. Didier Deschamps didn’t call me for the last two games, so it’s obvious, I’ve got to play more than I do, that’s why I want to talk to Wenger soon.
“I do have to accept it anyway, I can’t do otherwise. This situation doesn’t please me, but I have to accept it.”
“I need to have several games under my belt to be at the Euros. You can’t be in the French squad if you play a game once a month or less than that.
“You can’t be fit and mentally focused. And if I have to leave permanently or on loan to play, I will.”
I think Matthieu has made a grave mistake by talking in public before having private talks with the club, and to be honest I think Wenger will tell him to man up and realise that he has a contract at the club that is legally binding. And where would Le Prof get a replacement if he did let Debuchy leave?
Another good point is that whenever the veteran right-back has actually been given a chance to play he has been rubbish. Maybe he has lost his desire to play for Arsenal, but if another club thought about taking him on loan and checked out this season’s games, they are hardly going to be impressed are they?