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Christophe Dugarry has left Birmingham City by mutual consent after a season blighted by a recurring knee injury.
Dugarry signed a permanent deal at St Andrews last summer but his family struggled to settle in England.
"Frankly I was living on my own in the past six months because my family did not like living in England," Dugarry told L'Equipe newspaper.
"Since the club have nothing to fear nor to hope for anymore we agreed to part company on good terms." The 31-year-old World Cup winner initially joined Birmingham on loan from Bordeaux in January 2003 and was instrumental in Birmingham preserving their Premiership status
But he has struggled with a knee injury throughout the current campaign and scored just one goal in 12 Premiership starts.
His last start came against Aston Villa, but Dugarry limped out of the match with a recurrence of the injury and returned to France to recuperate.
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce admitted that leaving St Andrews was the best option for the French striker, who still had 16 months left to run on his contract.
"Christophe's recent problems have been well documented with his family finding it hard to settle in the area and his niggling knee injury," Bruce told the club's official website.
"In the end we decided that a parting of the ways would be best for both parties.
"I would like to wish him all the very best for the future."
Dugarry, who has played for Bordeaux, Barcelona, Milan and Marseille, is hopeful of finding a new club.
"I am still very fit but I don't know where I will be playing next season," he added. "All I know is that I will ask my family first before making my decision."
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