Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi has revealed that he thought he would never return to English football following his unsuccessful three-year spell at Everton.
The 25-year-old joined the Toffees in 2009 but struggled to force his way into David Moyes's first-team plans at Goodison Park, making just one senior appearance before leaving in 2012.
The Germany international has since won the World Cup and impressed during his debut season with Arsenal, but he admitted that his first stint in England left a bad taste in his mouth.
"To be honest at the beginning I thought I was done with England because it was really frustrating [at Everton] and probably the worst time I had as a footballer," he told Arsenal Player.
"I didn't want to go there again but then when it came down to making a decision to stay or leave, I thought I would only leave Valencia if I had the opportunity to go to England.
"I was thankful that I had another opportunity to make a step forward by coming to Arsenal. For the rest of my life, I don't want to be patient anymore."
Mustafi made 37 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal last season.
Barney Corkhill
