Abou Diaby says he will never be able to thank Wenger enough for the support he gave during his career.

The 31-year-old is currently without a club, having been released by Marseille in the summer.

While he remains determined to find a new club and keep playing football, he took the time out to reflect on his relationship with Arsene Wenger.

“He is someone who is able to understand the personality of his players and uses that to make them successful. The players then feel good,” he told SFR Sport.

“The most important thing for me was that he believed in me. He is someone who understood me. He is someone who was enormously patient with me.

“Things started well but afterwards I had injuries and problems etc. But he always there for me. I will never be able to thank him enough for what he did for me.”

Wenger showed more patience with Diaby than anyone else was willing to. The midfielder always showed tremendous ability when he played, but every comeback would be cut short by a new long-term injury.

Fans were prepared to wait the first couple of times it happened, but the more it occurred, the more ridiculous it seemed that he was still contracted to Arsenal.

Wenger, though, never gave up on him and gave him every chance possible to keep fit and play. It wasn’t until 2015, after nine years at Arsenal, that Diaby decided to try his luck elsewhere.

He managed to join a good club in Marseille, but only amassed just five games in two seasons before being released. Despite the temptation to retire, he’s still out there looking for a new club.

Fingers crossed he finds one.