REVEALED: WHY KOSCIELNY INSISTED ON LEAVING ARSENAL DESPITE HIS 9 YEARS SERVICE

September 12, 2019

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Bordeaux chairman Joe DaGrosa has revealed the reason Laurent Koscielny insisted on leaving Arsenal this summer.

The former Gunners skipper went on strike to force through a move to the Ligue 1 club, by refusing to go on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of America.

Arsenal eventually let the 34-year-old leave the club in a £4.6 million switch just before deadline day.

Koscielny faced some backlash from the club’s fans despite nine years of service to the north Londoners – but DaGrosa believes his reasons for leaving were justified.

“It really starts with Laurent’s desire to come back to France,” DaGrosa said, via Get French Football News

“We were not the only club in France that he considered but Bordeaux was at the top of his list, but again, not the only one on the list.

“His desire was to return to France and particularly to Bordeaux where he has family, in the region.

“I also think that this concerns this discussion on the subject of young players compared to more experienced players.

“Laurent Koscielny rightly thinks of his conversion and I think that Bordeaux presents a great place for him to stay in the world of football in the decades to come.