Coquelin joins Freiburg on season-long loan deal

Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin has joined German club SC Freiburg on a season-long loan deal. The 22-year-old will be hoping to have a season playing regular first-team football, having been in and out of the Arsenal team in recent years.

He arrived at the club in 2008 from Laval as a 17-year-old following a successful trial. So far he has played 43 times for the club in all competitions and has already had a loan spell away from the club when he spent the 2010/11 season on loan at French club FC Lorient.

Coquelin signed a new contract with Arsenal in January 2012 and if he has a successful season on loan at Freiburg, he could come back to London next summer a better player and one potentially ready for the first-team.

Freiburg qualified for the group stages of the Europa League for 2013/14, so Coquelin will be playing some European football next season, having already tasted Champions League football with the Gunners too.

Francis Coquelin will spend the 2013/14 season on loan at Freiburg. Pic: Arsenal.com