Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, has admitted that he was close to selling Francis Coquelin.
The Frenchman has been superb for The Gunners since being called-up to the first-team due to injuries sustained by Mathieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta.
Coquelin was on loan at Championship side Charlton Athletic before he got re-called by Wenger in order to play in the first-team, and since his introduction, he’s been a crucial part of the team offering balance between the attack and defence.
Arsenal have been heavily criticised for not signing a defensive midfielder over the Summer or in January, but Coquelin’s development has left Wenger delighted with the Frenchman.
“It is a surprise to everybody,” he said. “I never say never to anybody. In my job you have to be open-minded. You have to make decisions at times but never close the door completely for anybody.
“Was he in my plans for the season? No he was not. I told him, at the start of the season, to give absolutely everything from the start of the season until Christmas. Then we will see together and see where you are.
“In my own mind I thought if he doesn’t play at Christmas at all, and there’s only six months of his contract to go, I will let him go somewhere else. So he wasn’t happy when I called him back early. He was playing at Charlton and he thought I had just called him back as cover.
“He at least expected to play in the first match back against QPR but didn’t so he was surprised when I played him against West Ham.
“He knew it was an opportunity for him. Sometimes when you wait for such a long time to get your chance and you get it, the more you have suffered before the more you enjoy it. The human being is a strange animal.
“He has gone through a lot of doubt, questioning himself. Now that he has a chance he doesn’t want to let it slip away. But he is a winner – that’s why he is so committed.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
