Arsenal: Laurent Koscielny Needs A New Contract Too
Arsenal are caught up in the necessities of getting Alexis and Mesut Ozil contracts, but the defensive linchpin Laurent Koscielny needs one too.
Arsenal are rightfully a bit occupied with getting new contracts signed by Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. The two superstars have made it clear that they want to see the club’s ambition before committing themselves, but if this past transfer window wasn’t ambitious, then I don’t know what is.
There is talk that Mustafi will push Ozil to sign a new deal and that Alexis will sign one if given a buy-out clause. All of that is well and good, it sounds like things are well under way.
But there has been no talk of Laurent Koscielny getting a new contract. Bosscielny, as he is affectionately known, ranks among Ozil and Alexis when it comes to their importance to the club and I would even go so far as to rank him above Alexis. After all it was Koscielny’s return to the club this year that turned the fortunes around, not Alexis’s.
Laurent Koscielny is the lifeline of this defense. No matter who he is paired with, we have hope because he is unanimously viewed as one of the best defenders in the world and many even go so far as to call him the best defender in the whole of England (that came from Rio Ferdinand).
Koscielny’s contract is up next summer, a year sooner than Ozil and Alexis, so it’s safe to say that it’s vital to get him locked up as well. Some may say that there is less doubt over whether the French defender will ink a new contract, as compared to Ozil and Alexis. However, if that’s so, then what is taking so long?
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It’s true that Arsenal has a surplus of defenders, but just because Koscielny will soon be 31 does not mean that we let him go on a free next summer. If John Terry can play until he is 35 and still be effective, so too can Koscielny. Plus, with a new partner like Shkodran Mustafi, there will be far less baby sitting and far more dominating.
When fully healthy, this Arsenal defense is capable of amazing things. They have produced more clean sheets than any other Premier League club since January of 2015 (27) according to Opta Joe, and a large part of that success comes down to the experience and organization of the man that needs the new contract.
So next time you want to throw up a comment about how Ozil and Alexis need new contracts, be sure to include the Boss too.
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