This summer has been a real eye-opener for Arsenal fans. The club has signed five players so far this window and we’re not even halfway through July. Despite this, the fans are keen to see another central defender come in alongside Sokratis Papastathopoulous to replace Laurent Koscielny who’s currently out with a ruptured achilles tendon.
In Holding, Chambers and Mavro, we have got 3 young CB’s with real talent. Sokratis as the senior CB, along with Mustafi and Koscielny. I don’t think we’ll sign a new one unless we sell. Judging by reports, it seems if anyone leaves out of these, its Mustafi.
— LTArsenal (@ltarsenal) 11 July 2018
The French centre-back has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers over the last couple of seasons and hasn’t let his own standard slip despite seeing his teammates around him drop to levels below the expected standard of the club. The 32-year-old is a model professional and has been desperately unlucky to have suffered from the injuries he has over his career.
The Frenchman suffered his current injury setback just 12 minutes into Arsenal’s second-leg defeat against Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-final. The score was 0-0 at the time and had Koscielny stayed on the pitch the Gunners may not have suffered the 1-0 defeat that knocked them out of Europe. It’s been a real kick in the teeth for the 32-year-old who would have been a shoe-in for Didier Deschamps France squad that reached the World Cup final yesterday but instead he’s had to support his national team from the sidelines.
You can read the Arsenal fans’ tweets here:
https://twitter.com/messiismydad/status/1017009554473799680
https://twitter.com/alifeinramsar/status/1017019071139860480
It's time for Kos to do a per considering his age and injury records.
What's happening with Krystian Bielik?????
— bAkAtsInE (@_lukmanB) July 11, 2018
Just don’t think mastifi is good enough anymore the other younger 3 are definitely not yet kos will never be the same
— w (@lacazets) July 11, 2018
Personally I would sell Koscielny, been in and out with injuries and would probably do him some good going to a less physical league! Jenkinson can go as well!
— Nathan Whitmarsh (@Nobby1404) July 11, 2018
https://twitter.com/notchafc/status/1016292953415970817
Whilst it may be hard for some Arsenal fans to say goodbye to Koscielny, with his injury record and age it would make sense to let him go.
