Zenit St Petersburg signing Andrey Arshavin admits last season at Arsenal left him "depressed".

Last season was another in which he rarely featured when manager Arsene Wenger, whose patience in the forward appeared to have run out some time ago, limited him to only 80 minutes in the league, and it is this, he says, that had such an effect.

"The fact is I didn't want to stay in England, this was clear since January," said Arshavin to Sport Express.

"I don't regret anything, but I had to leave.

"It was a punishment sat on the bench. To train even though you know you won't play - it is psychologically difficult.

"I nearly suffered depression, but I didn't because I'm mentally strong. The monotony of life there was crushing me."