Arsenal full-back Mathieu Debuchy has admitted that he had to join Bordeaux on loan until the end of this season in order to give him the best chance of being in France’s Euro 2016 squad.
The 30-year-old right-back has barely featured in the Premier League this season, having fallen behind Hector Bellerin in Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger’s pecking order at the Emirates Stadium.
As a result of his lack of playing time Debuchy has also fallen out of favour with France coach Didier Deschamps and has not featured for his country since a 45-minute run-out in the 2-1 home win against Serbia in September.
With the European Championships coming up on home soil this summer, Debuchy said he knew that he needed to be playing regular first-team football for the rest of this season in order to get back into Deschamps’ plans.
The former Newcastle and Lille stopper, who has made just eight appearances for Arsenal this term, snubbed several Premier League clubs to return to the French Ligue 1 with Bordeaux.
And on the reason behind the move, Debuchy told Foot Express: “I need playing time in order to go to the Euros, that is my primary objective.
“If I had stayed at Arsenal, without playing, I do not think that I would have become part of the squad.
“I am here to enjoy myself, to play to the max, to help Bordeaux to reach their aims and go to the Euros.”
France are 1.66 to win Group A at Euro 2016, while Les Bleus are 3.75 to win the tournament outright.
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