Stade Rennais are willing to pay a fee to sign Laurent Koscielny, but they can’t afford match Arsenal’s asking price, according to reports.

Arsenal's French defender Laurent Koscielny acknowledges the public at the end of the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg football match Napoli vs Arsenal on April 18, 2019 at the San Paolo stadium in Naples. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images)
Arsenal’s French defender Laurent Koscielny acknowledges the public at the end of the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg football match Napoli vs Arsenal on April 18, 2019, at the San Paolo stadium in Naples. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP / Getty Images)

But! Football Club report that Ligue 1 insider YohZe is well informed on Laurent Koscielny’s case, so it’s worth listening to what he has to say. The French reporter claims Rennes are willing to pay compensation to sign Koscielny, but not the €10m asking price.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are reportedly “playing the clock”. It makes sense for them to stall and draw in more bidders to make the interested clubs more desperate, so that exactly what they’re doing.

Arsenal technical director Edu met with Rennes president Olivier Letang and Koscielny’s agent on Monday, according to the reliable David Ornstein. Ornstein added that Koscielny believes he’s played his last game for the Gunners.

That view appears to be shared by Unai Emery, who didn’t even give Koscielny a mention when listing his captains ahead of the new season.

The 33-year-old has quickly been excluded from Emery’s plans, and it seems only a matter of time before he ends up leaving. It’s just a matter of finding out which club he ends up at, and how much they’ll pay for him.