Arsenal's French defender Laurent Koscielny applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Fulham at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 1, 2019. - Arsenal won the match 4-1. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

How much of a paycut did Laurent Koscielny take to leave Arsenal?

Aug 11, 2019

Laurent Koscielny took a significant paycut of £23kpw to sign for Bordeaux it has been revealed.

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) (Photo credit should read ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images)

Laurent Koscielny was determined to leave Arsenal this summer, so much so that he not only went on strike at the club he was captain, he also took a £23kpw paycut.

When he was at Arsenal, Koscielny was earning £90kpw.

Now, at Bordeaux, he is receiving €15m over four years. That works out at €3.75m-per-year or €72kpw. Converted to sterling, that’s £67kpw.

I’m sure it won’t be long until Kos feels like he can explain the thinking behind his actions this summer. It was extremely out of character for a player who gave a lot to the club (for which he was handsomely rewarded).

To go out the way he did after nine years at the club speaks to a problem somewhere, whether we agree with his interpretation of it or not.