Former Newcastle United defender Mathieu Debuchy claims he would have liked to stay longer at St. James' Park in an interview with French media where he bares all. The 37-year-old has recently called time on his playing career that spanned almost two decades.
The former Lille defender impressed as his side won the Ligue 1 title and Coupe De France in 2010-11, catching the eye of a number of Premier League clubs. However, it was the Magpies who proved successful in their pursuit.
Alan Pardew's side submitted a bid to sign Debuchy from Lille in the summer of 2012 but it was knocked back by the French side. The Toon had to wait until January 2013 to get their man for a reported £5.5million deal and a five-and-a-half-year deal.
