Johan Djourou: 'I left Arsenal for sporting reasons'

Johan Djourou has revealed that he has taken a significant drop in wages to swap Arsenal for Hamburger SV in search of first-team football.

The Swiss international defender signed for Hamburg on a season-long loan deal last night, with the Bundesliga side holding an option to make the move permanent.

Djourou has insisted that revitalising his career had to come before financial considerations, justifying a pay cut to become part of Thorsten Fink's squad.

He told the club's official website: "Everything was just right for me at Hamburg. Above all, the sporting aspect convinced me.

"In London I could have earned considerably more money, but that wasn't the decisive factor.

"I want to play as much as possible and to improve, and this is why I can see the ideal conditions for myself in Hamburg."

The 26-year-old has been an Arsenal player since 2004, but has failed to establish himself as a regular feature in Arsene Wenger's plans throughout a nine-year spell in North London.