Out-of-favor Arsenal striker, Marouane Chamakh, has conceded that if he were to move back to France, it would be to his former side Bordeaux, a club that he feels has a place in his heart.
Chamakh had been targeted by Arsenal long before he signed on the dotted line at the Emirates Stadium. With a record of consecutive seasons scoring 16 goals for Bordeaux, the striker had scouts from various clubs wanting him. But when Arsene Wenger signed the Moroccan international, there was always a risk of the player not settling into a foreign environment. That fear became a reality, and the player, who was touted as a great signing by Wenger, was termed as a misfit.
The 29-year old played just 40 matches in 3 years at the Emirates, scoring a mere 8 goals to show for his spell at the club. He slowly went down the pecking order at the club, and was gradually dropped as a reserve player. With the arrival of Lukas Podolski from FC Cologne, and Olivier Giroud from Montpellier FC in France, Chamakh knew that his time at the club was limited. Also, considering his age, having played just 40 times for a club in 3 seasons at 29-years of age, his career rang the alarm bells, as his best years were passing him by.
Chamakh has realized that he needs to move on to a new club, and according to Daily Mail, the striker would welcome a move back to Bordeaux.
The Moroccan said, “I am always nostalgic,’ Chamakh told 10 Sport. ‘I spent so many good times here.”
“Everyone knows that Bordeaux is a club that is in my heart. If I find an agreement with Bordeaux, why not?”
“If I come back to France, it will be in Bordeaux.”
The striker has not only fallen in the ranks at the club, but also supporters, who have grown frustrated at the number of opportunities wasted by the player. Also, times at the club have been hard, with the club losing top players to bigger clubs, and the growth of the club becoming stagnant over time.
Arsenal will also want to cash in on the striker who joined the club on a free transfer after honoring his contract at Bordeaux.