Former Arsenal favourite Lukas Podolski has spoken about his time at the club and how he felt he didn't get the opportunities he deserved.
The Germany World Cup winner joined the Gunners from hometown club Koln and was part of the side that lifted the FA Cup in the 2013-14 season.
After a loan with Inter Milan, Podolski left Arsenal permanently to join Galatasaray and then moved to Japanese side Vissel Kobe, before returning to Turkey in January to join Antalyaspor.
"I was on the phone with the manager, Arsene Wenger, and he made me an offer. We spoke half in English and half in German," he told FourFourTwo about how a transfer came about.
"He started the conversation in German. I was thinking of staying at Köln with friends and family, but they told me to leave and play for a great manager at a great club, so I decided to move.
"And I helped my club in doing so, because they got £15 million for me – a lot of money back then, especially as they’d just been relegated.
However, despite putting in some fine performances during his time in north London and becoming a fan favourite, he struggled for regular opportunities.
"I didn’t get enough game time; I felt that I performed well and didn’t get the minutes I deserved. On the other hand, if you look at my stats, I played in about 80 matches and was directly involved in a lot of goals by scoring or assisting," he added.
"My relationship with the fans and players was positive. We won the FA Cup in 2014, which was the club’s first trophy for quite a few years. And I liked living in London, in Hampstead. My family enjoyed it, too."
