Former Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy has admitted he was "angry" with Arsene Wenger for blocking a move to Manchester United.

Debuchy finally found a new club in January as Arsenal agreed to terminate his contract and allow him to join Saint-Etienne on a free transfer.

It ended an unhappy spell at the Emirates Stadium, where Debuchy had found himself on the fringes of the first team even when fit.

Wenger has acknowledged that he denied Debuchy the opportunity to join Man United on loan in January 2016 because he didn't want to help out a direct rival.

Mathieu Debuchy joined Arsenal from Newcastle in 2014. BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

Debuchy spent the rest of the season on loan at Bordeaux instead, but suffered a long-term injury at the French club.

"There were some difficult moments at Arsenal, times when of course I was angry with the coach," Debuchy told RMC.

"I had an opportunity to be loaned to Manchester United, that he rejected, because he didn't want to strengthen a direct rival at the time. There were things said that I didn't necessarily like. But that's in the past. That's how it is, that's football."

Wenger allowed two players to join direct Premier League rivals last month, as Alexis Sanchez went to Man United in a swap deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Olivier Giroud joined Chelsea in a move that helped push through the club-record signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Debuchy joined Arsenal in 2014 but lost his starting place to Hector Bellerin after suffering a shoulder injury during his first season at the Emirates.

This season he was only used in cup games by Wenger.

"I would have preferred playing every weekend at a different club. But I don't have regrets, it is what it is," Debuchy said.