Laurent Koscielny has insisted that he feels no sense of regret over the way his time at Arsenal came to an end over the summer.
The Frenchman irked some supporters by refusing to travel on the club's pre-season tour of the United States after his request that the club terminated his contract and sanctioned a move away was rejected.
Koscielny did eventually secure a move away from Arsenal, joining Ligue 1 side Bordeaux in a deal worth around £5m.
Reflecting on his decision to leave the Emirates, Koscielny told L'Equipe: "A Premier League season is very long. It requires a lot physically and mentally. I didn't feel I could play 40-50 matches and I didn't want to end my career with injuries. I've gone down a level, but to take more pleasure.
"Either I finished there or changed clubs. With my family, we felt it was time. Everything was in my thinking: football, my physical state, my wife, my children, the daily life we could have.
"I can only say that I left with my head held high."
Koscielny also provoked supporters with his announcement video, which showed him ripping off an Arsenal shirt to reveal the Bordeaux kit.
The 34-year-old made a total of 353 appearances over a career spanning nine years at Arsenal and captained the side towards the latter stages of his time in North London.
Leo Nieboer
