Mikel Arteta's Premier League champions are deep into pre-season, with friendlies against Girona in Spain on Saturday, August 1, followed by Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund and Como before the Community Shield meeting with Manchester City on August 16. That orderly build-up stands in sharp contrast to the chaos of 2019, when captain Laurent Koscielny refused to board the club's pre-season flight to the United States.
Koscielny went on strike in an effort to force a return to France. The then-33-year-old stunned Arsenal's hierarchy by informing them he would not take part in the tour of America, prompting a furious reaction from head coach Unai Emery.
Refusal to travel
Emery informed Raul Sanllehi, then Arsenal's head of football, who sanctioned a statement condemning the defender's actions.
"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," the statement read. It added: "We hope to resolve this matter and will not be providing any further comment at this time."
The rest of the squad flew to the United States without Koscielny, who trained with the Under-23s while a resolution was sought. He had 12 months left on his contract and felt the club were pricing him out of a departure by demanding £10m for him.
A transfer forced through
Koscielny was also said to have been frustrated by the mismanagement of his playing schedule following the injury he suffered in the 2018 Europa League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid, and was dismayed at the direction of the club.
His wish was granted on August 6, 2019, when Arsenal accepted a £4.6m offer from Bordeaux. The transfer ended his nine-year spell at the Emirates, where he made 353 appearances and won three FA Cup trophies. In his announcement video, he ripped off an Arsenal shirt to reveal Bordeaux's colours, angering fans.
Life after Arsenal
The move was a severe blow to Emery on the eve of the season, with Arsenal already short of options at the back. Koscielny spent three seasons at Bordeaux before rejoining Lorient as a youth coach, later moving into upper management after the club's relegation in 2024. Lorient returned to the top flight as champions, and Koscielny, now 40, has been sporting director since June 2024.
