Laurent Koscielny spent a fair part of last year on the sidelines with various injuries and he managed to play in only 17 Premier League games during the whole of the 2018-19 season.
On top of that, during the summer break, he chose not to travel with the rest of the squad for their pre-season games in the USA thereby making it clear that he wanted to move out of Arsenal as early as possible.
Right now the player is plying his trade in the Ligue 1 for Bordeaux after having joined the club in early August for a reported transfer fee of €5 million.
And now speaking to the press, Bordeaux owner Joe DaGrosa has revealed as to why Laurent Koscielny chose to leave Arsenal and head back to France.
“It started with his desire to get back to France and specifically Bordeaux where he has family in and around the area,” DaGrosa told Get French Football News(as reported).
“Koscielny is thinking about his future, and rightly so, for when he is no longer playing the game.
“I think Bordeaux presents a great place for him to stay in the football business for decades to come.
“So we would welcome someone of his talent, and skill and experience, to help us with our plan for the club after his playing days are over.
“That is one of the things we talked to him about and I think it resonated with him.
“And it sort of transcends salaries and compensations. It is about what is the vision for you and your family going forward.
“I think we made a very strong case that he was coming to a home. He wasn’t just coming to a club.”
VERDICT:
The defiance of Laurent Koscielny made it pretty clear that he did not want to stay at Arsenal during the current season. And frankly, this decision came as a shock to Unai Emery since the manager had hoped to use the defender’s experience in order to get Arsenal back into the Champions League.
The manager reportedly even tried to talk some sense into the player but eventually chose to let him leave.
Some rumours also claim that had Laurent Koscielny chose to stay back at the Emirates then the manager wouldn’t have gone out and signed David Luiz from Chelsea.
