Report: Francis Coquelin to be offered new contract

According to a report in the Daily Mirror, Arsenal are set to offer a new contract to Francis Coquelin, whose current deal expires this coming June. Coquelin spent November and December on loan at Championship side Charlton Athletic, but returned to Arsenal after a spate of midfield injuries. Since returning, Coquelin has started 4 games in a defensive midfield role, and his tackling and combative play has impressed and Arsène Wenger has spoken of being impressed by Coquelin's maturity upon returning from loan.

Despite this, though, there are questions over the sensibility of offering Coquelin a new contract. His passing is not the best, and he doesn't screen the defence especially well, with simple movement often catching him out. Nor does he offer the centre backs a passing option. He seems very much like a combative box to box player, not a holding player, much like Mathieu Flamini, and in that sense, Arsenal can better utilise their resources elsewhere. Whether signing Coquelin to a new contract affects Arsenal's transfer plans both this window and in the summer remains to be seen. Common sense would dictate that if Coquelin were to sign a new contract, he'd replace Flamini in the squad, who would be allowed to leave.