What’s the story?
Arsenal have announced that Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and Francis Coquelin have signed long-term contract extensions with the side.
Commenting on the extensions, manager Arsene Wenger said, “We are very pleased that three important members of our team have committed to us for the long term. Francis has made tremendous technical strides over the past few years because he’s so focused every day."
"Olivier has big experience in the game now and has become a more and more complete player since joining us. Laurent is, of course, a key part of our squad and I believe one of the best defenders in the world today. So overall, this is great news for us.”
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Olivier Giroud, who was Arsenal’s top scorer in the 2015/16 season and also helped France to the final of Euro 2016 last summer has been proving to be the game-changer quite often for the Londoners this season – his late goals against Manchester United and recently against Preston come to mind.
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Fellow Frenchman Koscielny has established himself as one of the most reliable centre backs in the league since his signing in 2010, while Coquelin has provided solid cover to his defenders.
The heart of the matter
Of the three Frenchmen to sign the extensions, Koscielny’s was perhaps the most urgent one for the Gunners with his contract set to expire at the end of this season. Giroud has been in magnificent form for them as well, and Coquelin’s contributions on the pitch are reflected in his popularity with the fans.
With rumours of Alexis Sanchez being unsettled and Ozil yet to sign a new contract, it was an imperative move for the club to shore up their French core with long-term contracts.
What next?
Arsenal fans will now look to Wenger to extend the contracts of Santi Cazorla and Per Mertesacker – both set to expire this summer.
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It is interesting to note that Ozil‘s andAaron Ramsey’s contracts expire at the end of next season – just as Giroud’s. The Gunners fans would hope that the contracts of their key players will be extended soon, and that Wenger and Arsenal build a team that will finally secure the much-awaited Premier League title.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Arsenal have given their fans a much-needed boost after the recent slump in their Premier League form, which sees them drop out of the top-four. Tying down a few of their important players should calm the nerves and bring back some cheer to the Emirates stadium.
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