I’ve played for Arsenal and Man City but I switched careers in retirement and created a business selling BACKPACKS

BACARY SAGNA swapped playing full-back for selling backpacks when he hung up his boots in 2019.

The former Arsenal and Man City ace is now flogging £200 backpacks after a chance meeting with the founder of the company Gravipack.

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Sagna, 41, is said to have invested £220,000 into the business after he met founder Mohammed Effari on the train.

The 65-time French international is now a partner with the company that claim to sell "weightless rucksacks".

And Sagna knows a thing or two about the product after he tried it out on  while hiking around the countryside with Effari.

He claimed: "This is the biggest challenge of my life outside of football."

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While Effari spoke about how Sagna was struggling to believe that his innovative backpacks could leave the user feeling as if there was no load for them to carry on their shoulders.

He said: "In November 2019, I got on to a train at the same time as Bacary Sagna.

"I told him that I had invented a weightless rucksack. He burst out laughing, and told me I was mad.

"I have invented a product that comfortably spreads the load, and brings relief to one's back.

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"The shoulder straps are unique. Your shoulders feel free, and there is an impressive absence of weight."

During his playing career Sagna played a huge part for both of the Premier League's title tusslers Arsenal and Man City.

But without the metaphorical weight of fans' expectations on his shoulder he is now focusing on taking the literal weight off his shoulders on his new backpacking venture.

Sagna made 284 appearances for the Gunners during his seven-year spell in North London, winning the FA Cup in the process.

While his three-year stint with Man City saw him win the League Cup and rack up 86 appearances for the Manchester outfit.

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