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Koscielny refuses to go on Arsenal pre-season tour

Arsenal have confirmed that captain Laurent Koscielny has refused to travel to the US for the clu...



Koscielny refuses to go on Ars...
Soccer

Koscielny refuses to go on Arsenal pre-season tour

Arsenal have confirmed that captain Laurent Koscielny has refused to travel to the US for the club's pre-season tour.

The France international is out of contract next summer and has been linked with a move back to France.

In an official statement, the Gunners said: "Laurent Koscielny has refused to travel to the US for our pre-season tour.

"We are very disappointed by Laurent’s actions, which are against our clear instructions.

"We hope to resolve this matter and will not be providing any further comment at this time."

Koscielny is pushing for a move away from Arsenal with Bordeaux, Rennes and Lyon all interested in the 33-year-old.

Koscielny joined Arsenal in 2010 and has made 353 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 27 goals.

He has won two FA Cups during his time with the club.

Arsenal struggled defensively in Unai Emery's first season in charge, conceding 51 goals in the Premier League.

Koscielny didn't come back into the team until mid-December last season due the Achilles injury that ruled him out of the World Cup in Russia last year.

Shkodran Mustafi has also been linked with a move away from the Emirates so it's not ideal preparation for the new season, considering Arsenal don't have a big transfer budget to recruit new players in the coming weeks.

The Gunners begin their pre-season campaign against Colorado Rapids on July 16 before facing Bayern Munich, Roma and Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup.

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Arsenal France Laurent Koscielny Unai Emery