A former Arsenal star was brutally honest about his time with the Gunners after signing from Chelsea
Lassana Diarra pulled no punches when he claimed that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger had gone back on his word following his move from Chelsea in 2007. The Frenchman spoke out during his time with the Gunners, giving his version of events after struggling to make an impact at the Emirates Stadium.
Diarra, 41, left Chelsea to join Arsenal on transfer deadline day in summer 2007, only to exit that winter after failing to nail down a regular starting berth, despite being a consistent presence in the France squad at the time. The former midfielder made his frustrations public just four months after putting pen to paper, claiming that Wenger had failed to honour his promise of regular minutes.
Speaking to L’Equipe, Diarra said: “We’re halfway through December, and I’ve decided: I want to leave Arsenal. The bottom line is the coach doesn’t need me. They don’t want me. I don’t understand, because I’ve got more value in the French national team.
“When I signed for Arsenal I was made promises by the people who recruited me. But since the start of the season the only matches I’ve been involved in have been low-key, and to be honest I’m getting fed up with it.
FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
“With Mr Wenger, there’s no problem whatsoever. I’m not going to criticise him or speak badly of him. I’m not the kind of person who creates problems. But I signed for Arsenal because I was led to believe I was going to be playing, and there would be healthy competition. That hasn’t been the case.”
After making 13 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions, Diarra completed a reported £5.5million switch to Portsmouth in January 2008, going on to lift the FA Cup four months later as Pompey overcame Cardiff City in the final. His standout displays at Fratton Park persuaded Real Madrid to part with £17m (€20m) to secure his signature after just 11 months with the Premier League club.
Having settled in at the La Liga giants, Diarra once again spoke out against Wenger, claiming he learned “nothing” from his former boss when asked by Spanish publication El Pais about what the Arsenal boss had taught him.
“Me? Nothing,” Diarra answered. “I did not learn anything from Wenger. He just taught me to doubt everything. The relationship I had with him was not good. You cannot understand the whole world.” He went on to heap praise upon Jose Mourinho, having worked under the Portuguese tactician at Chelsea and in Madrid.
Diarra added: “I respect the way you train, but I learned more with [former Chelsea manager Jose] Mourinho. Mourinho taught me to fight. I spoke looking into his eyes. If you had a problem, it would be discussed. Wenger never addressed me until I told him I was going.
“He talked to others, but not me. I feel like I never played for Arsenal. If people do not remind me of them [Arsenal], I forget about them. It’s erased from my memory.”
Following three seasons in Madrid, Diarra moved to Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala before subsequently penning a deal with Lokomotiv Moscow. Having returned to France with Marseille, he spent two years at the club before a brief spell with Emirati outfit Al Jazira.
The 41-year-old would ultimately end his playing days back on home soil, concluding his career in 2019 with Paris Saint-Germain following a single season at the Parc des Princes.
