Derby County defender Krystian Bielik has admitted he was surprised he wasn't given a chance in the Arsenal first team before being sold this summer.
The 21-year-old joined the Gunners from Legia Warsaw in 2015 under Arsene Wenger and spent loan spells with Birmingham City, Walsall and Charlton Athletic as he acclimatised to English football.
Having impressed with the Addicks last term as they were promoted to League One, many had expected the young centre-back to be embedded into the Arsenal first team.
However, instead, Bielik was sold to Derby for £8m, without ever making a Premier League appearance for Arsenal, as Unai Emery deemed him surplus to requirements.
Bielik, how has played in midfield and in defence for the Rams this season, has insisted he wasn't unhappy with his lack of game time at the club but was surprised not be given a chance to impress in the first team at the Emirates.
“I wasn’t frustrated,” Bielik told the Totally Football Show .
"When asked about his time with the Gunners. “I was surprised that I didn’t really get a chance. You know, I thought I deserved to get a chance in the first team at Arsenal.
“I just felt that there was no future for me at Arsenal anymore. There is a new manager who’s thinking different than Arsene Wenger [who brought Bielik to Arsenal].
"It is how it is. It is football, a new manager comes to the club, he brings his coaching staff, he’s got different thinking about football and that’s it, you know?”
Bielik has made 13 Championship appearances for Derby this season and has established himself as a key part of Phillip Cocu's side.
