Unai Emery revealed that Laurent Koscielny will be Arsenal’s permanent captain. Koscielny has been sidelined with an Achilles injury until the New Year.
The new Arsenal manager claimed that he wanted “five captains” in a bid to improve the leadership within a group regularly criticised for lacking sufficient mental strength under Arsene Wenger. He informed his squad on Friday morning of the hierarchy on the eve of a new campaign which begins with Sunday’s visit of champions Manchester City to Emirates Stadium.
“This morning, I give the official captain first,” said Emery. “He is injured, the first captain in this group is Koscielny. Then I tell the players it is [Petr] Cech, [Aaron] Ramsey, [Mesut] Ozil and [Granit] Xhaka.”
Per Mertesacker previously held the position but barely in the final season before his retirement, with Koscielny regularly taking the armband in his absence.
Laurent Koscielny has claimed that he could leave Arsenal when his contract expires in the summer of 2020.
The centre-back joined Arsenal from Lorient in 2010, and has made more than 300 appearances for the Gunners during his time in the English capital.
The 32-year-old is currently on the sidelines following Achilles surgery, but could be available towards the end of 2018.
Koscielny has admitted that he is thinking about “moving on” from Arsenal at the end of the 2019-20 season.
“I’m under contract until June 2020. Afterwards? I’m thinking of moving on, but I do not know where,” Koscielny told Nice-Matin. “This is not relevant anyway! I am in England, my family too. Then there will inevitably be a lot of question marks.
“The bottom line is to have health. I learned to relativise because there are so many more serious things in life.”
Koscielny has won two FA Cups and two Community Shields during his time with Arsenal.
Born in Tulle, Koscielny began his football career playing for a host of youth clubs before moving to Guingamp in 2003, where he quickly progressed through the youth ranks, making his professional debut the following season.
After becoming frustrated at being played out of position as a right back, he joined Tours for an undisclosed fee, quickly establishing himself as the team’s star player in his desired position, ultimately aiding in the club’s promotion into Ligue 1, while also being named in the Ligue 2 Team of the Season.Koscielny continued his impressive performances following a €1.7 million transfer to fellow French outfit Lorient in 2009, receiving multiple plaudits for his performances, largely cultivating a reputation as a clever, agile, ball-playing defender.
His achievements and footballing potential attracted Arsenal, ultimately moving to the Premier League side for a fee of £8.45 million the following season.
Following his arrival to England, Koscielny has widely been regarded to be one of the best players in his position, as well as one of the best in the world. He has since established himself as a core component in the Arsenal first team, as well as contributing with a host of individual performances, including aiding in ending the club’s nine-year trophy drought, scoring a crucial equalizer en route to winning the FA Cup in 2014. He was also crucial in further club successes that followed, winning another FA Cup and the FA Community Shield twice.
Despite qualifying to represent Poland, Koscielny instead decided to represent France, and first appeared up for the national team against Brazil in February 2011. Koscielny has since become a regular starter for the nation in every major tournament that they have appeared in, including UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, while also leading France to the final of UEFA Euro 2016, which they lost to Portugal. He scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Scotland in 2016, and amassed fifty-one appearances for the national side. He retired from international football in 2018.