The owner of Bordeaux has explained why Laurent Koscielny left Arsenal this summer and it had nothing to do with money.
According to Joe DaGrosa the defender made the decision to depart the Emirates because of his family and his future in football.
Speaking to Get French Football News, DaGrosa said
“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.”
Fair enough but that completely glosses over the way that Koscielny engineered the move to Bordeaux, who splashed out £4.6 Million for the 34-year-old.
No mention of Koscielny’s refusal to go on Arsenal’s pre-season tour to America, effectively going on strike, no mention of that notorious video when he discarded the Arsenal shirt.
There is a way to leave a club before your contract expires and Koscielny went with the wrong way, disrespecting the club, ruining his legacy and making himself persona non grata at the Emirates.
I have no sympathy for the Frenchman and his desire to what was right for his future and his family because of his behaviour. If he had gone about it the right way, done the tour and so on he would have still got his move, it was his decision to do it the way he did and he has to live with the backlash from Arsenal fans that his actions caused.