Carlos Vela reveals he could not wait to quit Arsenal after ‘three bad years’ and struggling to adapt to London life
CARLOS VELA says he could not wait to quit Arsenal after "three bad years" in London.
The Mexican plays for MLS side LA FC but spent seven years on the Gunners' books between 2005 and 2012.
Vela always struggled to break into the team at the Emirates and had five different loan spells before eventually leaving for Real Sociedad on a permanent deal in July 2012.
The 31-year-old spent five years at the Basque country club where he says he really found home.
But in an interview with , the forward revealed what a torrid time he had in North London.
He said: "The most important part of my life came in San Sebastian: my new family.
“I came from three years of being in London, which I couldn’t adapt to.
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"I don’t know how to explain it specifically. It was a place I don’t have good memories of. I wanted to get out of there.
“There I started to enjoy my football again after three such bad years of living in England.
"I didn’t know anything about the Basque Country.
"I wanted to leave so much that when I heard I had a good offer to play and leave England, it was a case of me saying: ‘I love it. Yes, let’s go.”
Arsenal farmed Vela out on loan to Celta Vigo, Salamanca, Osasuna and West Brom before the loan to Sociedad eventually became permanent.
The forward bagged 73 goals and 44 assists in 250 games for the LaLiga outfit and became a real fans' favourite.
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And since his move to the MLS in January 2018, the Cancun born star has notched a staggering 57 goals and 23 assists from just 71 games.
He recently scored an impressive chip in Inter Miami's first ever competitive game when LA beat David Beckham's side 1-0.
And the Mexican international also has 19 goals in 72 games for his country.