Arsenal: Francis Coquelin the wrong but potentially right departure

Francis Coquelin has left Arsenal for Valencia. He is the wrong departure from the Gunners’ midfield. But with the reported price rising, he could still turn out to be the right one.

Valencia have announced the signing of Francis Coquelin. While Arsenal are, as of writing, which is Wednesday afternoon, yet to reciprocate that revelation with their own press release, it seems fairly certain that the deal, if not completed already, will be signed, sealed and delivered in the coming days and potentially hours.

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Coquelin has been a faithful servant in North London. Arsene Wenger has entrusted him with a varied and contrasting role at the heart of the midfield, and he has performed admirably, if showing his limitations, especially in possession, at times.

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It certainly has seemed as though Coquelin’s time at the club was drawing to a close. He has played just 157 Premier League minutes this season, making just one start, and has seen his role in the squad reduced to the domestic and European Cups. He and Mohamed Elneny have had a very similar standing in the squad this season, and it always seemed inevitable that one would leave, though I initially thought that that would not come to pass until the summer. But of the two extremely comparable midfielders, Coquelin is not the one that I would have sold.

While Elneny is similar in his limitations and his dependability, he is not the same defensive force that Coquelin is. He may be more comfortable on the ball, metronomic in his distribution. But without it, he lacks the athleticism and the power to replicate the destructive influence that Coquelin has on games. So to see that type of player depart a midfield that is infamously light on such players is a little concerning.

But then the finances must be taken into consideration. This is where my perspective of Coquelin being the wrong sale begins to shift a little.

The Telegraph, and other outlets, have reported that the fee is in the region of £12 million. That seems like a fair price for a player of Coquelin’s ability, age, and experience. But there have been other suggestions that claim the fee could be as high as £22 million.

Now, that figure seems a little inflated. I struggle to believe that any right-minded manager would pay anything over £15 million for Coquelin. But it does suggest that the fee of £12 million that is doing the rounds is not necessarily the most accurate. Perhaps Arsenal have sold Coquelin for a higher price than many people have heard.

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Obviously, I do not know what the price actually is. I’d be surprised if many journalists and media outlets do. These things are often hidden. But £12 million for Coquelin is already a decent deal. If that price rises as more news comes out, then this sale only gets better. For now, he was the wrong midfielder to depart. But that could change.