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What's the story?
Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has weighed in on former teammate Laurent Koscielny's conflict with Arsenal, claiming that the defender is "very hurt" by the situation.
In case you didn't know...
Koscielny's future at the Emirates is up in the air as the Frenchman decided to snub Arsenal's pre-season tour of the United States after the club reportedly rejected his transfer request.
The 33-year-old is said to be disillusioned with life in North London and has questioned the general direction of the club following their collapse late last season.
Moreover, he is unhappy with the way the club managed his playing time after he recovered from a career-threatening Achilles injury, claiming that his return was a bit rushed due to the team's defensive crisis.
The center-back, who is currently facing disciplinary proceedings, believes the time is right for him to move back to his home country. However, the Gunners do not share the same opinion, leading to a standoff between the two parties.
Koscielny has been widely criticized for his actions by the likes of Ian Wright and is believed to be jeopardizing his legacy at the club.
The heart of the matter
Giroud, who played for Arsenal between 2012 and 2018, believes that Koscielny should not be judged until the truth comes out.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he said, "You cannot make a judgment when you don't have all the clues. I'm pretty sure we don't know everything in this situation. I hope both sides will find the best agreement."
The 2018 World Cup winner further revealed that his friend is sad to be at odds with the club and has slammed the media for trying to paint him in a bad light.
"He's been playing for Arsenal for nine years; he's been the skipper for so many years - very respectful, very professional, always the best example for the young players."
"I think he has always been grateful about that and respectful to the club. I don't understand how we have got to this situation."
"I feel very sad for him because he's a great person and the media wants to give a bad image of him."
"I'm not at the club, I don't know what happened - but one thing for sure is Lolo is very hurt by what's happening and he's an emotional person."
What's next?
Unai Emery recently insisted that Koscielny remains an important part of his plans but it remains to be seen how this situation develops in the days to come.
The Gunners, meanwhile, registered a comfortable victory over MLS side Colorado Rapids as they kickstarted their pre-season tour of the United States on Monday in perfect fashion.
