Denis Suarez has revealed the extent of the injury nightmare that condemned his spell at Arsenal to failure, explaining that he even struggled to sleep and sneeze.
The midfielder arrived at the Emirates Stadium in January 2019 on loan from Barcelona after failing to seal regular first-team football with the Blaugrana.
But he managed just six appearances in all competitions as part of Unai Emery's squad, with injuries severely restricting his ability to make an impact in the Premier League.
His season came to an end as early as April with a groin problem and Suarez has now detailed the agony the injury put him through, while he has not ruled out a future return to England.
"You never know what can happen in the future [regarding a move back to the Premier League]. I went to Arsenal with great hopes," the 25-year-old, now at first club Celta Vigo after sealing a transfer from Barca in the summer, told Goal.
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"I made my debut against Manchester City but in our first away game I got injured. I thought I had ruptured my adductor because I could barely put weight on the leg or move it.
"The scan showed it was not ruptured, but rather that I had a huge build-up of fluid on my pelvic bone and from there I could not take a single step without feeling pain.
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"I carried on training because I didn't want to stop in my second week after arriving but I couldn't do it because I was never at 100 per cent, not even 50. I couldn't even take a shot at goal."
Suarez happily made a full recovery from that injury hell, and has so far been ever-present for Celta as the Galicians find themselves in a relegation battle - but he still rues that missed opportunity in north London.
"It is more frustrating to not play because of injury. I suffered so much at Arsenal that it practically stopped me doing everyday things," he added.
"It hurts when you sleep, when you sneeze and even walking up the stairs. Just imagine going to a club that had called you a month before, with all the hope in the world and not being able to do anything from the second week onward apart from trying to train with huge pain.
"There was a point where I said: 'enough'. I played three or four games but it was as if I didn't because I wasn't even at 50 per cent.
"But the injury is now behind me and despite sometimes feeling a bit of discomfort I am working day and night for it to go away."
