Arsene Wenger: Tomas Rosicky was 'perfect' for Arsenal despite 'frustrating' injuries

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Tom Doyle23 May 2016

Arsene Wenger believes that Tomas Rosicky was the 'perfect' Arsenal player despite injuries limiting the midfielder's impact at the club.

After a string of injuries over a 10-year Gunners career, Rosicky will depart the Emirates in the summer having managed just six minutes of first-team action this season.

A January FA Cup tie with Burnley was the midfielder’s only appearance of the campaign, and it swiftly ended in heartbreaking fashion as he limped off moments after coming on as a substitute.

Wenger admits that while he would like to have been able to call on Rosicky more often, he was glad to have coached the 35-year-old Czech Republic international for so long.

“It will always be a frustration [he didn't play more games] because first of all Tomas was an exceptional talent,” Wenger told Arsenal Player.

“I personally, like we all do here, love the player. The standing ovation he gets every time he walks out there tells you a lot.

“We love the man as well, and his attitude, and his exceptional class and qualities. It's sad [that he’s leaving] but I must say, for me it was a privilege to manage him.

“He makes it look very easy when he's playing. He has a quality - when the ball comes to him the game suddenly becomes a bit quicker, more incisive, more mobile.

“He had all the football qualities to play the game we love to play here, and I would say Tomas Rosicky was the perfect player for Arsenal Football Club.”

Czech Republic manager Pavel Vrba is convinced Rosicky’s injury troubles are behind him for now after naming the midfielder in his preliminary squad for Euro 2016.

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