Sagna confirms Arsenal exit

Cape Town - Arsenal fullback Bacary Sagna has confirmed he will definitely be leaving the Emirates during the upcoming transfer window.

There has been a lot of speculation about the France international's future at the north London club, but Sagna has admitted that negotiations with the club did not go the way he had hoped and that he will be leaving when his contract expires in June.

“It's no longer a secret, I'll leave Arsenal,” Sagna told French newspaper L'Equipe from the national team’s training ground at Clairefontaine.

"They tried to make an effort, but the discussions have not gone in the direction I wanted."

Sagna, who ended his spell in London with a victory over Hull City to win the FA Cup, has been at the Gunners for seven years, but feels it is now time for him to move on from the club.

“To finish at Wembley with the Cup, it was something magical," he said.

"It was an honour to evolve in that shirt, even though we were criticised for quite some time due to the lack of trophies, I spent some magical moments there.

"If I had to do it again, I'd do the same thing."

Manchester City are believed to be front-runners in the race to sign Sagna ahead of next season.