According to The Sun, Lorient chairman Loic Fery has suggested Laurent Koscielny wants to leave Arsenal for a return to Ligue 1. This comes after the centre-back reaffirmed his desire to remain at the Emirates and fight through pain to prolong his playing career.
Fery claimed the Arsenal defender spoke to him in the English capital earlier this month and told him of his desired to bookend his career with his former club. “He told me last week in London that he wanted to finish his career at Lorient. I hope he has a few more years playing at Arsenal,” he said to Canal+ Sport.
Koscielny has been an ever-present for Arsenal when fit this season, making 10 Premier League appearances. The 32-year-old, who joined signed from Lorient for £11m in 2010, has gone on to make over 300 appearances for the Gunners.
He’s been regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the top flight, but injuries have hampered his form in recent seasons. Koscielny, worth £20m, has an ongoing achilles problem that requires him to have daily treatment to continue playing football.
Boasting 50 caps for the French national team, the long-serving defender is contract with Arsenal until 2020, but it’s unknown how many more years he’ll remain at the club given his injury problems and advancing age. Nevertheless, Koscielny will leave with nothing but love from the supporters for his service.
Few would begrudge him a return to Lorient either, should the latest reports be genuine.
Stats from Transfermarkt.
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