Emmanuel Petit, a former Arsenal player, has expressed regret over his departure from the club, attributing it partly to the wishes of his wife, Agatha de la Fontaine.
In an interview with the Daily Star, Petit acknowledged that while there were other sporting factors that contributed to his decision to leave the Gunners, his wife’s desire to live in a sunnier location played a significant role.
The 52-year-old advised young players to learn from his mistake and not let their spouses dictate their career moves.
While discussing his time at Arsenal, Petit mentioned that he was content with the club, the fans, and his teammates. They had achieved success, including winning the double. However, he sensed that Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger was considering selling him. Petit believed Wenger wanted to sign other players, which ultimately proved successful as Arsenal went on to become invincible in the Premier League. Nevertheless, the primary reason for his departure was his wife’s preference.
Petit emphasized, “There were certainly sporting reasons—I had a desire to win the Champions League—but my wife was tired of the rain and wanted to live in the sun, so I listened to her.”
Offering advice to current players, the former French international cautioned against allowing their wives to make decisions about their career choices.
During his time at Arsenal from 1997 to 2000, Petit made 115 appearances. Subsequently, he left Arsenal in the 2000/2001 season to join Barcelona but only stayed for a season before being sold to Chelsea during the winter transfer window.
Petit and his wife divorced in 2002 after approximately two years of marriage and having a son together.
