Emmanuel Petit has revealed he regrets leaving Arsenal for women and says he would turn back time if he could.
Petit enjoyed an impressive three-year spell with the Gunners after joining from Monaco for just £2.5m in 1997.
The midfielder helped the Gunners win the double in his first season at the club. The latter pairs up strongly with fellow countryman Patrick Vieira in the middle of the field.
His playing career with Arsenal ended in 2000 after making 118 appearances for the team.
Petit moved to Barcelona for £7m, with the Catalan giants spending a total of £25m to sign both him and Marc Overmars in a double package.
When asked why he left Arsenal, Petit told ยูฟ่าเบท it was “for the women”.
“I love Barcelona and [Real] Madrid, the two biggest clubs in the world. But of course I should stay at Arsenal.”
“Did you know that sometimes the grass isn’t greener? It is better to stay where you are when you are loved and happy and you are successful. Why do you have to move?”
“Of course (it’s a big regret). If I could go back in time, I would have made a different decision.”
Petit married French actress Agathie de la Fontaine in 2000. They met before the midfielder helped France win the 1998 World Cup.
La Fontaine was married to Petit for two years before divorcing in 2002. The couple have a daughter, Zoe.