Laurent Koscielny’s decision to quit Arsenal transcended issues around financial remuneration, according to Bordeaux owner Joe DaGrosa.
The 33-year-old completed a £4.6 million move to the Ligue 1 club in August after a fractious dispute with Arsenal led to him refusing to go on the club’s tour of the USA.
The Gunners had wanted the former France international to see out the final year of his contract but when offers started arriving, several offering the security of long-term deals, his head was turned and mind made up.
“It started with his desire to get back to France and specifically Bordeaux where he has family in and around the area,” DaGrosa told Get French Football News.
“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.”
And all that couldn’t have started next year?
Clearly not.
Would be stupid to. Why would you want him to start next year? What is so useful having him around this year? Was he that good last year? Following Mustafi’s slip up at Palace, we shipped 3 goals against Wolves with Koscielny-Sokratis and went on to not win for 7 matches straight. Is he fit and ready? His availability rate is poor and will only get worse considering the knocks he has taken for us over the years and at 33yrs++ Why would you even think having him for one more year is anything but the club cutting corners on… Read more »
For once, Santori, we agree.
More power to him, long contract, family, easier league, and a plan for the club after, either it be as a coach or on the technical team. Fair play.
Should never have been in a position where we were depending on him anyways.
For years fans have slated the club for acting like fools when it comes to contracts. Giving Ozil too much, not offering Ramsey enough, letting young prospects go too cheaply. We had CL cash to waste back then, so the old regime would’ve released Kos from his last year and not even asked Bordeaux for a transfer fee. The new regime has to run on a much tighter budget. So their stance is – if a club still values and wants Koscielny, they should f*cking pay for him. What we think of Koscielny’s quality or fitness are totally and utterly… Read more »
What a load of utter rubbish. His previous CB partner is now Head of Arsenal’s Youth Academy. I’d like to think that would be a more appealing place to work after he retires. He’s a misguided fool that threw his Arsenal legacy down the drain to go to a relegation struggling team in a joke league.
I’m sick of hating players I’ve loved for years. I hope Raul and co can address this issue moving forward.
you don’t have to hate him for going home…surely there were things going on behind the scenes that we ar not aware of…just keep loving him for the player we had for many years and you’ll be alright
Compare the way he acted to the way Monreal acted. Both heading towards the late stages of their careers and both wanted to go home. Both were hugely professional throughout their careers.
Monreal was a great servant to the club but hasn’t been here for 9 years nor was he our club captain – yet he was the one to remained professional until the last day while Koscienly threw his toys out and refused to do his job.
Ok so he acted worse than Monreal? that’s not very hard to do, to be honest. I think most of us fit into that category!
He didn’t just wake up and decide to behave as he did. Conversations had been going on for some time and they broke down. There are two main parties involved here and the one we’ve heard nothing from is Arsenal. I don’t know why you’re so keen to blame Kos. This article doesn’t tell us what actually happened for Kos to make the point he did.
Why are you so keen to shift blame to Arsenal to cover Koscielny’s ass?
Arsenal spoke when we gave Koscielny a 3-year contract when he was already 30, and then nursed him back from a long-term injury which could’ve been career-ending for players his age.
He’s a good catch for Bordeaux, but so much of this interview is BS. If Bordeaux wanted him so badly why didn’t they sign him when he was injured? That would’ve truly ‘transcended salaries and compensation.’
I’m not “keen to blame Arsenal”. I’ve said before that ultimately his reaction was OTT but it doesn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t provoked. I’m just someone who would prefer to see both sides before ascribing blame.
Good catch for Bordeaux ? Signing a 34 years old for 5 years as I read somewhere ?
Arsenal didnt want him badly….He had suffered serious injury and he saw his writing on the wall just like Arsenal….He knew Arsenal will release him at the end of his contract and he knew if he didnt jump to a French league 1 side now, after a year in Arsenal bench he won’t hope to be signed by even a League 1 side…So his decision was really logical…
What actually happened is that he had a contract to comply with no matter verbal discussions he has had with people in the club.
Yeah because EVERY player complies with EVERY contract ALL the time…
He refused to travel on preseason tour, refused to work, forced his way out, then presented himself to the Bordeaux fans by taking off an Arsenal jersey and throw it on the floor to reveal a Bordeaux jersey. Why do some people want to argue for the sake of arguing? I’m not telling people to abuse him or anything, but for me he threw his legacy down the drain to go to a relegation struggling team in a shit league. That unfortunately has overshadowed all the good he’s done for our club over the years (FOR ME, to each their… Read more »
Geez… you act like he was your servant! Or somehow ruined all your Christmases in one go! Bloody hell!
Monreal was allowed was Koscielny was promised. To leave the club for peanuts after years of loyal service. He had no reason to go on strike. Koscielny obviously felt that promises that have been made to him have been broken by Arsenal. So the situations of him and Nacho aren’t comparable. Both are legends of this club and I will always remember them for their services. Kosc is in the december of his career, he thinks his body isn’t up for the physicality of the Prem anymore and he wanted to go home. Really nothing to hate about that.
Keep loving him the way he kept loving Arsenal? Arsenal gave this guy a career at the highest level. He had no name at the time.
In the end, he is just a guy who has no class but thinks he is all that.
He wanted to go back to France and didnt see his future in England…This has nothing to do with Arsenal
Oh, yes, a guy who wants to lead his own life! What a shame!
Nacho Monreal wanted lead his own life too. Pretty much all footballers in their 30’s do.
Almost none of them pull amateur teenage stunts like refusing to go on tour. Neymar was involved in the biggest transfer saga of the summer – and he still went on PSG’s pre-season tour to China. Koscielny is not special. I wish Gooners would stop making excuses for him.
You know, we have another player who pulled a similar stunt to force a last-minute transfer against his team’s wishes. I have never heard an Arsenal supporter condemn him for it. His name is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Glad you brought this up because it’s a good comparison. Aubameyang was condemned for it. Fans were saying things like “I hope we’re not signing another sulky trouble-maker like Anelka.” And after the transfer went through, Auba held his hands up, admitted what he did was wrong, and apologised to Dortmund’s owners and fans. Fans respect it when a player owns his BS. Instead of doing that, Koscielny decided to strip an Arsenal jersey for a Bordeaux one in an announcement video that even fans of our most-hated rivals called classless. Good luck to him over there, but he seriously… Read more »
Fuck Laurent Koscielny
But Dortmund fans and staff condemned him. Should we ask Bordeaux fans to condemn Koscielny? In case of Auba, he was very unhappy with things that happened there. It wasn’t because of a possible contract with Arsenal.
Aubameyang was not the club captain nor one of the most beloved players on the team. Still bad what PEA did but it never hit Dortmund supporters the same way.
Bullshit. He was their best player.
Aside from anything else (were there assurance made in the past, etc.?), isn’t it possible that he really wanted to spend his post-playing life in France rather than England? Mertersacker chose to stay, and that’s great, but Koscielny wanted something else. Maybe it’s a joke league as you say, but it is home.
He’s very welcome to spend his post-playing life in France. Maybe it is home, actually it clearly is but don’t sign a contract, then not honour it and refuse to go to work. No-one rational is arguing that he shouldn’t head back to France to play or manage. Just not when the club who gave you so much wanted you to remain as captain honouring the contract you were happy to sign and happy to receive while you were injured.
Why should he work to your schedule?! Sure he acted like a dick but at the end of the day, Arsenal ALLOWED him to go and also got PAID for the privilege.
If you don’t want to hate people, don’t. That’s all on you my friend.
Per was hired under the old regime. What makes you think a job was there for him? What if he too wants to Head an Academy? That’s obviously not gonna happen here.
We don’t even have official roles for the likes of Wrighty or Pires, let alone for Kos.
Stop being dramatic.
Who cares? He’s gone so let’s move on.
Fucking boring this interlul, isn’t it? Can’t wait for the REAL football to start this weekend.
Ridiculous. What about Arsenal’s compensation? Would have been bad enough if we already weren’t lacking for CB reinforcements.
They were compensated. To the tune of £4m. What were you hoping for?
Koscielny…see Monreal.
Higher salary for a year at Arsenal, huge respect on leaving as captain. And higher salary when moving as no transfer fee.
Instead, less cash and loss of much love.
Why not wait a year?
As the article says, there are some things more important…
Because in that time the Bordeaux opportunity may have shut.
The exit was far from ideal, but for the blood, sweat, and tears he left on the pitch for us I can’t begrudge him wanting to take an ideal opportunity to start his post-prime career.
And as wrong as it feels to write this, I think in Luis we’ve got damn close to a like-for-like CB with less physical issues. For nearly a financial wash, no less.
I don’t begrudge him wanting to leave either and for what little I knew I was on his side in the dispute between him and the club. Then he pulled that shirt stunt and exposed himself as a classless cunt. If that’s all he had to say after 9 years with us then good riddance to him.
Tempest in a teapot.
Sensationalism sold by Wright, who keeps himself on the limelight with sensationalist statements, and all the trashbloids pushing papers, likes, and clicks.
It’d be proper weird if we got Bordeaux in Europa.
I usually like the returning arsenal player vibe at the stadium of *cheer when their name is announced but boo when they first touch the ball*
But with Koscielny I don’t even know what I’d want to do. He’s a player I’ve loved for many years and now just feel nothing for.
Could we orchestrate an eerie and awkward silence when his name is announced? That’s how I feel.
Just one single really loud clap?
(any reference to The Hunt for Red October is purely coincidental 🙂
I’d still clap like mad for him.
He missed a bloody WC just cause he wanted us to be back in the CL and played against the doctor’s wishes.
Well said
He deserves it.
Tried to do us a favour.
We are guilty of cutting corners trying to extend an over the hill Koscielny one more season. Evidence is our solution at the moment in David Luiz. Poor decisions.
Go away!
It’s fascinating that both Monreal and Kos left. But the manner of leaving is just so crucial to protect your close to a decade of legacy.
I don’t see any problem. The problem is largely in the fans imagination. Most are herd followers. He is 33yrs. Why do we want to keep him? He is injury prone, not exactly solution for us considering Wolves away and finals against chelsea. And why should he not consider his future? Its mental the way too many fans think. Iwouldhave personally kept Monreal before KOscielny. The Spaniard was in better nick and we did not have to rush on Lback. That could have waited a season. And instead we could have devoted more resource to getting a proper Cback instead… Read more »
Tierney is one of the many top LB prospects in the world.
he has a higher ceiling than bellerin.
Same for Saliba at CB.
Love him or hate him in the end you have to understand him. I don’t agree with what he did or how he did it but in the end family comes first and their future is the most important. As a parent the thing that keeps me up most nights is the futures of my family especially kids and for those of us approaching retirement we can understand the anxiety. If he thought that was what’s best for his family then none of us can realistically judge him. He gave arsenal the best years of his life and always fought… Read more »
One injury to an already injury wrecked body next season and he would not have had such a lucrative offer to see him out.
Too many fans have no clarity in thought.
Aside from that, we must have been (which we are) lazy to think we could hobble through another season with him as a primary defender.
As a back up defender, we may as well get someone-else.
It makes ZERO sense to keep him.
Most fans were not insisting on keeping him, I actually wanted him to leave. The stunt of going on strike, i can stomach but that of removing an arsenal Jersey to reveal Bordeaux Jersey is totally unprofessional and classless though I totally understand his wanting to go home but he went about it the wrong way. After getting your wish to now pull that jersey stunt is very disrespectful period.
He’s scored some pretty crucial goals for us over the years (FA Cup Final and last day to seal top 4). Made some pretty crucial fuck ups too though (Atletico at home).
In a few years I’ll forgive him.
He did us a favour. Too many clueless fans. 1) What is the benefit of him staying another season? He has taken a lot of knocks for us over the years and his availability rate will only get worse. 2) Is he that water tight? Following Mustafi’s Palace melt down, Koscielny-Sokratis (the vaunted pair same people here were crying out for in a back 4) shipped 3 goals away at Wolves. They weren’t that much good either the next 7 matches and we also lost by 4 goals to Chelsea in the europa. 3) Keeping him around is merely the… Read more »
Bed time!
Could you please stop calling your fellow Arsenal fans clueless, muddle headed and herd followers. You are arrogant and disrespectful.
To play the devil’s advocate, most people sound muddle headed. I would not say they ARE muddle headed, but they certainly sound that way sometimes
Why so much fuss over this guy? He in all honesty had one good season. He was nothing special, and contributed towards the team getting countless hammerings. He’s acted like an arsehole, he’s gone. Laurent who?
Even though this is an extreme sort of a comment; its not entirely wrong. This guy made a career out of being a ‘Nice’ defender. Doing the pretty things well and not enough of the dirty or not too effectively anyway. Was never a big, resolute figure in away or big games which is something that cost us especially during the earlier years when we had a very decent midfield with Nasri, Fabregas, Song. He had a couple of really good games but overall flattered to deceive. Good luck in Bordeaux but definitely no tears shed
I can guarantee that 99% frothing at the mouth of him leaving would’ve been the first to demand or ask why we didn’t ship him out in the summer if he stayed and caused a mistake or two, and became clear that he wasn’t physically up to it for the season ahead.
It’s such a shame that a very classy player left in the unclassiest (hopes that’s a word) of ways.
The jersey pulling video is unforgivable. Regardless of what better circumstances Bordeaux were offering.
Up there with Van Persie, Adabayor and Nasri for me as to how his leaving antics have tarnished my perception of his Arsenal career.
Compounded with his and comments about wanting France to lose the WC final while he was injured.
Clearly an ultimately selfish individual.
I have no issues with any of that at all. However, none of it explains or justifies his shirt shifting dig at Arsenal. He let himself down when he did that. 9 years with us to flush his future relationship with the club down the toilet like that. He’ll be the one worse off for it.
Blegh! Did like him as a player despite giving me some of the most horrendous away beatdown memories and that terrible bottling of a simple back pass in the League Cup final. It’s safe to say he was only a moderately successful signing. Maybe we could have sold him earlier and got a better player like Varane or even Jerome Boateng. His injury problems later in his career also prevented him achieving his international level plaudits.
I read the comments below and I laugh. If in a few years, Koscielny becomes one of the top 5 managers in the world, in the Klopp & Guardiola category and arsenal needs a manager, will anyone here say no to bringing him in as the manager?
You mean the many fans who once used to gloat at the fact we aren’t the playthings of rich oligarchs and Arab states and were happy with an owner who didn’t need get involved who then started demanding said owner put money in or demanding new oligarch-like owners?
Yeah, if Kos turns out to be a great coach, you can bet same fans will embrace him.
id take him.
but I’d be of the opinion he is back to REBUILD his legacy, i can forgive but wont forget.
Hypothetical I guess. Right now it’s a no from me. He doesn’t belong here.
Besides, why would he want to return here in any capacity considering the way he left? Seemed very final to me.
Question: when did they talk and how did they explain all those benefits to him? Would we weird if it was after he’d already thrown the toys and decided to leave, right? So how is that not tapping up?
I don’t really think less of him that he left, though I think it’s a shame. But I guess we just ignore this now?
Why say anything??
No one came out of this situation covered in glory, including conniving, hubristic Bourdouz. Rather then revalling in their coup, they should be moving on in the hope others including Arsenal don’t rethink the business they do in future
I have no issues with the way he left because let’s face it football clubs do not think twice about selling someone if they get offered a huge amount of money for them, doesn’t matter how long a contract the player has left. No loyalty in that .
Good luck to him and thanks for the all the years he played for us !