Mathieu Flamini has admitted a lack of first-team opportunities could force him to leave Arsenal.

The defensive midfielder was recruited by the Gunners from Marseille in the summer of 2004, but has failed to secure a regular place in the club's starting XI.

The 23-year-old is now in competition with a clutch of young midfield talent brought through by manager Arsene Wenger, such as Cesc Fabregas, Abou Diaby and Denilson.

And Flamini claims he could be approaching the end of his time at the Emirates Stadium.

"The next three years will be important for me," he told L'Equipe. "I want to play, to go to the next level.

"The Arsenal team is young, it has quality, but I am not playing as much at the moment.

"It isn't easy to live like this and I am in a situation where all players ask themselves questions.

"I am coming to the end of the cycle. I have just spent three years at Arsenal and my lawyer has told me that I could leave in June.

"For that, I must pay the final year's salary to the club."

Flamini's stock rose earlier this season when he was drafted into the France squad by coach Raymond Domenech for February's friendly against Argentina.

But he has hardly been selected by Arsenal since, and over the course of the season he has mainly been named on the bench by Wenger.

His versatility came to Arsenal's rescue last season when he played at left-back in the absence of the injured Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy.

He proved a key player for Wenger in the Gunners' run to the Champions League final. However, he lost his place to Cole for the showpiece against Barcelona, who ended up winning 2-1.

Flamini has now set his sights on European glory — at Arsenal or elsewhere.

"I want to continue to work, to progress," he added.

"I want to score more goals, make more passes and win the Champions League."