William Gallas has been stripped of the Arsenal captaincy and dropped from the squad to face Manchester City at Eastlands tomorrow, according to the France Football website.

Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, has punished the Frenchman for launching a verbal attack on his team-mates that revealed details of a dressing-room row at half-time of the 4-4 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.

Gallas, 31, had claimed that Arsenal's young players lacked courage, that the squad included a 25-year-old troublemaker and that he could leave if the club failed to win a trophy this season.

He added to the speculation over his future today by revealing that he wants to play in France. "It's true that I'd like to return to France for one or perhaps two seasons to finish my career," Gallas said.

"But if I go, it won't be to just anywhere. I'd go to a big club or nowhere at all. The choices look simple to me - it would be Marseilles, Lyons, PSG or, let's not forget, Bordeaux. PSG are a massive club and known everywhere."

Gallas said that he was attracted to the prospect of joining Claude Makelele, his former Chelsea team-mate, at Paris St Germain. "He's told me that he's pretty happy to be in Paris. He feels he's getting the respect he deserves from everyone.

"As far as Bordeaux, I really like the club and the region. I was a Jean Tigana fan when he played for Bordeaux. Their coach now is Laurent Blanc who I've never played for but who knows football off by heart and must be a good guy to lead you."

Nigel Winterburn, the former Arsenal defender, criticised Gallas for his outburst. "I'm very disappointed with Gallas' comments," he said. "We all know arguments happen at half-time and full-time in any game, not just at Arsenal, and they're dealt with inside the club.

"It doesn't need the captain to come out and tell the world players have fallen out - that can be good, it shows they care and are not prepared to accept defeat. He actually said one team-mate is being disruptive, which puts the suspicion of blame on four or five players. He hasn't come out and named the player."