Emery Tells Wenger Favourite He Can Leave Arsenal In January, Agent Already In Talks

The transfer window is closed but managers are still planning ahead for January and next summer so we’ll bring you all the latest gossip. Today, Arsenal are ready to let Laurent Koscielny leave…

Laurent Koscielny’s agent is looking for a new club after Unai Emery told the defender he’s free to leave Arsenal in January if he receives a good offer, according to TeamTalk.

Koscielny has been eyeing a return to action as he recently resumed full training after recovering from a ruptured Achilles injury that he suffered during the Europa League semi-final second leg defeat to Atletico Madrid in May of last season.

However, it looks like the 33-year-old faces a struggle to force his way in to Emery’s first team plans as TeamTalk claim the boss has informed Koscielny he’s ready to let him leave this winter if the player receives a suitable offer.

The report says the centre-back’s agent is already making enquiries with top clubs throughout Europe and Barcelona are believed to have expressed their interest in signing Koscielny on a short-term basis to ease their issues in defence.

Sokratis has made an impressive start to his career in north London since joining from Borussia Dortmund last summer and TeamTalk says Emery is happy with the progress being made by Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding so he’s willing to let Koscielny go in January.

I must admit this comes as something of a surprise as Koscielny has been a key player for Arsenal since joining the club from Lorient in 2010 and I fully expected him to come straight back in to the starting eleven when fully fit.

He was an integral part of Arsene Wenger’s starting eleven having made 324 first team appearances under our former boss and I personally think he’s still a much better defender than Mustafi or Holding.

However, it seems Emery wants to look to the future and in fairness, Koscielny’s form was on the decline before his injury and who knows how much the Achilles rupture has affecting him, so this might not be such a bad call from the boss.

I’ll be sad to see Koscielny leave if he does go but the key is getting a top class replacement as our defence is still a major weakness and we won’t be title contenders until we resolve our issues at the back.