Former Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby has finally retired from football after a career span of about 25 years.
The 32-year-old spent the majority of his senior career at the Emirates Stadium – having joined them in 2006 and left.
However, he has been inactive from competitive football since 2016 due to nagging injuries that refused to allow him to shine.
The French star joined Arsenal from Auxerre in 2006 after being regarded as the midfielder who will replace Patrick Vieira according to Arsene Wenger.
The midfielder’s at the Premier League club was marred with massive fitness problems, with the British newspapers counted he spent nearly 50 percent of his time at the Emirates on the sidelines – suffering 42 injuries.
He played 180 games for the Gunners before leaving the club to join Marseille in 2015 – and played his last competitive match in August 2016 against Guingamp.
“It was time. For a number of years, it has been difficult for me to come back.
“I had a lot of physical problems, at one point; you have to ask the right questions.
“I decided to stop simply because the body was not following; it’s difficult because I have spent most of my life playing football.”
