Arshavin: Spanish life easier than England

The 28-year-old joined the Gunners from Zenit St Petersburg for £15 million in February, and has made an explosive start to his Premier League career, bagging six goals and seven assists in 12 league appearances last season, as well as scoring a further five goals already in 2009/10.

However, the Russian international revealed his concern earlier this year about the exorbitant amount of his salary that was being lost through tax in the UK.

And he has now admitted that he is still finding it difficult to adapt to English culture, predicting he would have made a smoother transition had he moved to Spain instead.

Arshavin was strongly linked with a move to both Barcelona following his impressive displays at the 2008 European Championships.

“On one hand I love it [in London],” he told Russian website Bobsoccer.

“On the other, I haven't said anything about the difficulties.

“In Spain, for example, everything seems easier. England, in general, is different from many European countries in terms of lifestyle and mentality.

“In domestic terms I confess it is difficult. They say that a foreigner only adapts to London after living there for a year, so I still have three months left.

“Here you have to pay every step of the way. Sometimes I have to shell out to breathe.”