Former Arsenal defender Krystian Bielik has claimed that he would have got a chance to play for the first team at the Emirates Stadium should Arsene Wenger have still been manager of the club.
The 21-year-old left the Gunners during the summer, signing for Championship club Derby County for a fee of £10m - a club record fee for the Rams.
Bielik had previously impressed on loan at Charlton Athletic last season, helping the club to secure their promotion back to the Championship via a dramatic playoff final victory.
According to reports, Arsenal were keen on extending the defender's contract at the Emirates Stadium, but a lack of first team opportunities for the upcoming season lead to him heading to the exit door. It is claimed that Bielik was told that he was not part of manager Unai Emery's plans, and the Polish defender has hinted that it could have been a different story under former manager Arsene Wenger.
"I know that if Arsene Wenger were still working at Arsenal, I would get a chance," he told Polish outlet Przeglad Sportowy .
Some Arsenal fans were not happy with the decision to sell the youngster, and Bielik has said that he received messages from fans wishing him well after he left the club.
"Indeed, I got a lot of news from Arsenal fans," he said.
"They wrote that they wish me the best and consider the club's decision to sell as wrong.
"They wished good luck, some wrote, that they hope Arsenal will buy me back for £ 30 million in two years. It's very nice. It is a pity that it happened that way, but apparently it had to be this way. I have to break through to the Premier League in a different way. This is my goal"
