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Arsenal could have a fight on their hands to keep Laurent Koscielny at the club, with the defender stalling on talks over a new contract after it emerged that he is a transfer target for Monaco, Paris St Germain and Bayern Munich this summer, the Telegraph report.
Koscielny has been one of the stand-out players for Arsenal this season, with his partnership alongside Per Mertesacker – who has signed a new contract – earning rave reviews, but has become unsatisfied with Arsenal’s inability to sustain their title challenge yet again.
Koscielny has made it clear over the past 12 months that he wishes to win trophies and titles and has become increasingly frustrated that Arsenal continue to fall short in their bid to land their first Premier League title in a decade.
Arsenal want the Frenchman to commit to the club for a further two years, despite his contract still having three years to run and are drawing up a contract to bring him parity on salary with his fellow centre-backs, Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen, who both currently earn more.
Both Monaco and PSG are keen on recruiting central defenders in the summer in order to boost their hopes in the Champions League next season and Koscielny tops their list as they look to abide by the homegrown rulings that UEFA are putting into place.
Bayern have also expressed an interest with Pep Guardiola being a long-term fan of the 28-year-old, with his ball-playing skills and reading of the game believed to continue to impress the former Barcelona boss.
Arsenal are in the market for central defenders as it is this summer, with John Stones of Everton a reported target, while Thomas Vermaelen is seeking an exit from the Emirates, but Koscielny is still seen as a key player and the Gunners are keen to show that by offering him improved terms.
Any move from any team would prove costly given his importance to the side and the years remaining on his current deal, but a fee in excess of £20million would hardly deter the rich French pair from any transfer, while Bayern are very comfortable financially as well.
Laurent Koscielny has made 76 interceptions this season, more than any other player in Arsenal’s squad.
