Manchester City full-back Bacary Sagna has admitted that he needed to leave Arsenal in order to "boost" his career.

The Frenchman moved to the Etihad Stadium in the summer on a free transfer after spending seven years with the Gunners.

However, the defender is yet to secure a first-team spot under manager Manuel Pellegrini, with Pablo Zabaleta currently standing in his way.

"I am 31 and this was the right time for me to leave Arsenal," Sky Sports News quotes Sagna as saying. "I wanted to see somewhere new, and to boost my career.

"I am now part of a much deeper squad at City, where it's even harder for me to win a first-team place. It is fair to say that could pose a risk to my place in the France side, but I'm not taking that into consideration.

"I feel more powerful than ever. It is what I was looking for. I needed it in order to go the extra mile."

In the Premier League, City have won two games and lost one so far this season.