Mathieu Debuchy: Defender joins Arsenal from Newcastle
Last updated on .From the section Football
Arsenal have completed the signing of right-back Mathieu Debuchy from Newcastle for an undisclosed fee.
The 28-year-old has agreed a long-term contract with the Gunners after ending an 18-month spell at St James' Park.
Debuchy has 25 international caps for France and represented his country at this summer's World Cup in Brazil.
"He is a quality defender who has good Premier League experience and I'm confident he will fit in very well with us," said Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
"He has shown he can perform at the highest level with his club sides and also for France."
| Debuchy's career |
|---|
| Lille (2003-2013): 258 appearances, 16 goals |
| Newcastle (2013-2014): 46 appearances, 1 goal |
| France (2011-2014): 25 caps, 2 goals |
Debuchy, who made 46 appearances for Newcastle after joining in 2013 from French club Lille, with whom he spent the first nine years of his career, said: "I'm very proud to be joining a great club like Arsenal and to wear its colours, it's one of the biggest clubs in the whole world.
"I'm looking forward to working with Arsene Wenger and to helping the team build on last season's FA Cup success.
"Playing again in the Champions League is a big excitement for me and I will do my best to help Arsenal compete for trophies."
The defender made 233 appearances for Lille, helping them to a league and cup double in 2010/11.