Arsenal have apparently opened contract talks with a few Gunners’ stars this week, with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil both reportedly being asked to sign on the dotted line. However according to the media, The Gunners have also spoken to central defender Laurent Koscielny about a possible new contract extension.
Arsenal are keen to start cracking down on new contracts for some of the club’s most important players this season, partly assumed in fear that perhaps a number of players may become unhappy should the club continue to not achieve what is expected of them. Koscielny has been a key player for the side in recent seasons, because despite having a fairly shakey start to his Arsenal career when he joined back in the summer of 2010, the Frenchman has since grown into not just one of the best Premier League defenders but one of the best defenders of the current generation on a world wide scale.
Koscielny is somehow surprisingly in his final year of his contract, despite Arsenal’s previous efforts to ensure we don’t have a repeat of Robin Van Persie’s final season. Arsene Wenger and co will therefore be very keen to ensure the French international commits to a new deal, before he is very much in the drivers seat to command a move away.
Arsenal have previously been cautious towards offering players over 30 long term deals, largely due to fear of fitness and although Koscielny is now 30 years old, soon to be 31, it is understood Arsenal are willing to extend their usual practice of one year deals, when it comes to Laurent Koscielny’s case.
I hope that Arsenal and Koscielny manage to come to some agreement because as we have seen in recent seasons, the Frenchman is all so important to not just the strength of the defence, but the team as a whole. I’m sure we can expect to see plenty more good performances from Lolo this season and with any luck he will keep up his level of consistency at Arsenal, for many years to come.
By AH