With new rumours popping up every few hours on transfer deadline day, Arsenal are expected to announce a very important deal imminently. The contract extension of Francis Coquelin.
The French midfielder has been offered a new deal worth around £40,000 per-week that will run for four and a half years. His current contract is worth just £10,00 per-week and is due to expire in the summer. Arsenal are confident Coquelin will sign the contract in the coming days.
Reports from Sky Italia suggested that Napoli had tried to sign Coquelin tonight, but the club and player rejected an approach as a new contract is close.
The fact that Arsenal have not signed a first team defensive midfielder this month will have aided Coquelin’s decision to stay at the club. There is an expectation from the player that if he continues his current form, he can earn an even more lucrative contract and land a permanent place in the Gunners starting eleven.
Arsene Wenger confirmed last week that a new deal for Coquelin was close. He told press: “It is 99 percent [certain] that he will stay here.”
The 23-year-old has performed outstandingly in the holding role for Arsenal since he was re-called from a loan spell at Charlton in December. Coquelin was only re-called due to long term injuries to Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere. These injuries turned out to be a blessing in disguise as young Coquelin has returned and given Arsenal exactly what they need.
Thierry Henry has been full of praise for the young French midfielder, suggesting he may have saved Wenger from panic buying in January:
“For me the best thing they’ve done is bring Coquelin back from Charlton,” Henry told Sky Sports News.
“What Coquelin does is allow you to go for the player you want in the summer, because in January you go for the player that is available.
“Coquelin allows Arsene to go for someone he really wants, or if Coquelin does the job really well, he can stay.”
Many fans are still concerned at the back up we have to Coquelin. Mathieu Flamini looks incompetent in that holding midfield role and Arteta has also shown signs of his quality falling, fast.
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What do you think about Arsenal’s winter window? The signings of Gabriel Paulista and Krystian Bielik have seen an outlay of around £15million. Is this enough to see the Gunners have a successful season? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below.