Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed that French midfielder Francis Coquelin will shortly leave the club in a deal to join Valencia, bringing to an end the French midfielder’s 10-year at the Emirates. 

He joined Arsenal in July 2008 after impressing on a trial from principality club Stade Lavallois, and managed to establish himself in the Gunners first team fold after a series of loan spells with Lorient, Freiburg and Charlton Athletic respectively. 

Coquelin, though, has often been called out by Arsenal fans for not being up to standard in an era where the Gunners have fallen behind England’s leading clubs. The France international has played in 105 Premier League fixtures for the North London club and signed a new deal this time last year, though has found first team action hard to come by so far in this season. 

Wenger, speaking to the BBC after his side Wednesday night’s 0-0 Carabao Cup semi-final draw with Chelsea, confirmed that he had agreed a deal to sell Coquelin to the high-flying La Laga side, in a deal thought to be worth around £12m. The Daily Mail however report that Valencia will pay closer to £10.6m, after initially proposing a loan deal until the end of the season to get around FFP. 

The Frenchman said on whether he had agreed a deal to sell: 

“Yes. He goes to Valencia because he didn’t get enough games with us this season and he had an opportunity. I let him go.” 

His compatriot has registered 159 appearances overall for the Gunners, but has never scored a goal. Coquelin has only managed 155 minutes in Premier League matches so far in 2017/18, but has managed to be a regular in the Europa League and League Cup. 

 

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