Sunderland's Nicklas Bendtner says he would need assurances of regular football if he was ever to return to Arsenal.
Sunderland loanee insists he is adapting to new surroundings
Sunderland striker Nicklas Bendtner admits life on Wearside is a world away from the bright lights of London, but says he would need assurances of regular football if he was ever to return to Arsenal.
The Denmark international has joined the Black Cats on a season-long loan deal from Arsenal and is set to lead the Sunderland attack at home to Stoke on Sunday.
And the 23-year-old insists he will do his utmost to ensure he settles in quickly at the Stadium of Light.
"It's very different from London, but you just have to learn and adapt," he said.
"I have rented a good house and am probably going to spend most of my time there, as I did in London, and then spend time with my family when I am not playing football, so it's going to be okay.
Great time
"It's different but I think you should be willing to adapt everywhere you go. Obviously it's not what I'm used to but I'm sure I will have a great time here."
Bendtner has been dogged by an interview he gave 18 months ago where he was quoted as saying he viewed himself as "one of the best strikers in the world" but that he needed to score more goals.
Having struggled to establish himself in the Arsenal first team, that seemed a bold statement, but Bendtner has been keen to set the record straight.
"What I said is that when a striker scores more than 20 goals a season then the papers are quick to say now he's one of the best strikers in the world," he explained.
"I said I thought in my game that I can always improve but the thing that I missed that I needed to do was to score more goals.
"But it was difficult for me as I never really got a run of games so I didn't have a chance to do that."
And asked about the possibility of returning to Arsenal at the end of the season, Bendtner made it clear he would need reassurances from manager Arsene Wenger that he would be given regular action.
"One thing for sure is that I want to play football," he said.
"I do not want to do what I have been doing before. If it's going to be the same way I would rather not go back.
Welbeck example
"I've not really seen much of their games, I've just seen the results. Apparently they were quite unlucky against Borussia Dortmund, who scored in the last minute, but I hope they will do really well and that the young players there will have a great season."
But Bendtner has taken heart from Danny Welbeck's loan spell at Sunderland last season, during which he earned his international debut before returning to Manchester United and breaking into the defending champions' first team.
"What happened with Danny was a fantastic story," he said.
"He comes here, does well and is now doing really well for Manchester United.
"If I can do a similar thing that would be great for me."
