Unai Emery looking for leaders if Laurent Koscielny departs
Friday 19 July 2019 11:05, UK
Arsenal head coach Unai Emery has admitted that defender Laurent Koscielny may be set to leave the cub.
The France international defender refused to join the pre-season tour and wants to be allowed to return to France.
His departure would leave something of a leadership vacuum but Emery says he sees defender Rob Holding as one of his potential captains.
Ahead of Saturday's game against Fiorentina in LA, Emery said: "I want one English player in these five captains.
"Last year (Granit) Xhaka, Mesut (Ozil) and Nacho (Monreal) were working as captains.
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"But after Aaron Ramsey and Petr Cech left - and possibly Laurent Koscielny - I will want more.
"An English player who grew up in our academy can understand the English spirit and Arsenal values.
"We lost some players with big experience and a long time in England and Arsenal like Cech and Ramsey.
"We lost Koscielny too. They started one day being captain, when they were young."
Holding was impressing at the heart of the Arsenal defence last season - only to suffer a serious injury against Manchester United in December.
He has not played since but appears to be closing in on a return and Emery said: "We are really happy with his (Holding's) progress.
"We need his performances as a centre back. [Before] he had his injury, he was really playing with big performances."
Meanwhile, Arsenal are looking to bolster their long term centre back options, and have reached an agreement in principle with Saint-Etienne to sign William Saliba.
The deal will see Saliba return to the Ligue 1 side on loan next season.
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