DENIS SUAREZ HAS claimed he was less than half-fit for most of his disappointing loan spell at Arsenal and admits he still wants to leave Barcelona this summer.

Suarez joined Arsenal in January but made only six substitute appearances under Unai Emery, four in the Premier League and two in the Europa League.

The 25-year-old played no part in the team’s run-in, with his last game coming against Manchester United on March 10, when he was introduced as a late substitute.

“On the 16th day of arriving at Arsenal I was not even 50% (fit), it was a year to forget but also to learn,” Suarez told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser on Thursday.

“I thought I had torn my groin and they did a scan and saw that I had an oedema (an excess of fluid) around the bone in my pelvis.

I was in a lot of pain and from then on I carried on training with medication and put up with it as best I could but I didn’t feel right and Emery didn’t think I was right. I wasn’t comfortable.

“I don’t think I was even at 50 percent fitness. After 15 days of being at Arsenal, I wasn’t right.”

Suarez has struggled for games under Ernesto Valverde at Barcelona and says he wants a move, preferably to a club in La Liga.

At Barcelona I think I’m not going to have the opportunity to play regularly and what I want is to leave and to play,” Suarez said.

“I don’t know where, wherever is best for me. I have to look at everything. My idea is to stay in the Spanish League, to be near home and compete in La Liga.”

© – AFP 2019

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