Arsenal have agreed a two-year contract extension for star defender Laurent Koscielny according to a report in French media outlet Le10Sport. The report translates as: ‘Arsenal are about to formalize the contract extension of Laurent Koscielny. The central defender currently has a contract with Arsenal until June 2017. It is about to be extended for two more seasons, which would take him until June 2019.’

If Koscielny does indeed sign the new contract, it would keep him at the club until 2019, a year where he would be turning 33 years-old. Signing Koscielny to an extension will be a big sign of intent from Arsenal ahead of the transfer window, with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich keen on signing the Frenchman this summer.

Keeping Koscielny is key to keeping Arsenal competitive. He is probably the most wanted Arsenal player this summer. The duo of Per Mertsacker and Laurent Koscielny has kept club captain Thomas Vermaelen on the sidelines for the majority of the Premier League season. At times, they’ve been unbeatable- thwarting the strike forces of the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea in the home fixtures and pushing Arsenal into the title race- though the wheels on that wagon eventually fell off.

The same report suggests that Bacary Sagna has agreed to join Manchester City for free upon expiry of his Arsenal contract in June. Sagna is now free to talk to any domestic or foreign club and it appears his career at Arsenal has no chance of stretching further than this season.

Photo via Ronnie MacDonald