Unai Emery has reiterated that Laurent Koscielny wants to leave the club but would love to keep him.
The 33-year-old refused to travel with the team as the Gunners toured the United States of America as the clubs prepares for the upcoming season.
The French international has pushed for a move away from the club with Bordeaux and Stade Rennes keen on signing him for a figure around ten million pounds.
However, Unai Emery has stated that he still wants to work with the player as he believes he is an “important” to the team.
“He’s a very important player for us. We are speaking with him and with the team, about my responsibilities, the club’s responsibility and his responsibility.
With respect it’s better for us, it’s better for the team, and it’s changing our idea with the centre-back because if he is here with us this season, it’s very different than if he isn’t with us”
Although he wants to keep him, he says he respects his decision and he believes a solution will be found soon for both parties.
“At the moment it’s a very personal decision, and we are respecting that. I am speaking with him and we are going to find the best solution, but overall we need a player like him.”
Unai Emery also highlighted on the prospects for next season as his side faces Newcastle United on the first day.
“We want to be strong in our defensive line, working with the players we have now.
We are speaking about the centre backs, but we have a lot of centre backs, we have good centre backs, and if we can sign one more centre back, it is because he is clearly better than we have.
Because at the moment we have six. We are in different positions with some players because Mavropanos has his injury and we are continuing to see that situation.
We have until August 8, and we need to speak over these few days about how we can be, and how we can close our squad.”
The Spanish international also spoke about the possibility of replacing Koscielny should he leave the club
“Now it is between the club and him. I fight to convince him, but I respect his decision, a very personal decision, and that situation can only manage with one argument.
I haven’t lost my hope that he will be with us next year.
But at the moment his decision is to leave and we are also thinking if we can improve with other players and how we can help with him.”
