Sebastien Squillaci lifts lid on his 'privileged' time at Arsenal

Sebastian Squillaci signed for Arsenal in 2010 from Sevilla

SEBASTIEN SQUILLACI insists the lack of playing time he had in the final two seasons of his three-year spell at Arsenal were 'difficult to swallow'.

 

The 35-year-old, who know plys his trade with French club Bastia, signed for the Gunners from Sevilla for a fee of around £4million and made 28 appearances in his first season at the Emirates. 

However, his progress was halted in his second and third seasons at the club when he made just three appearances. 

And Squillaci revealed the stresses and strains the lack of playing time he had at Arsenal. 

 

"It was difficult to swallow, especially because I played everywhere else before. But I was over 30," he told France Football.  

"We were thinking about everything in this case: football, family, the contract… And I was at Arsenal, a very big club.

"I remain privileged. You have to be conscious of that. So, I trained even harder to try to stay physically in shape.

"I also know on a daily basis to gauge how fortunate I have been to do this job. 

 

Squillaci playing for Ligue 1 side Bastia

"I started my professional career at AC Ajaccio, in Ligue 2, and I remember that we often changed training ground because the club did not have one and that we had to clean our kit at home." 

Squillaci, who has made 15 appearances so far for Bastia this season, also revealed he could have went out on loan to secure more playing time when at the Emirates. 

He added: "My final season at Arsenal was particularly difficult. I could have sent myself out on loan in order to play more, but we had just had a little girl. 

"We would have had to move everything whilst knowing that we would move again anyway the following season."