Francis Coquelin

A young midfield player who signed for Arsenal in the summer of 2008. He is a powerful, tenacious defensive midfielder who can also play at right back if required.

Francis was a member of the Gunners’ team that won the FA Youth Cup in 2009 and made his first-team debut in a Carling Cup tie in September 2008.

He has since added further cup appearances and spent the whole of the 2010-11 season out on loan with Lorient where he gained regular first-team football during his stay. Back at the Emirates for 2011-12, broke into the Gunners’ Barclays Premier League squad and despite missing time with injury in the second half of the campaign he made six starts.

Francis, who began his career with the Stade Lavallois academy, represented France at the FIFA U20 World Cup in the summer of 2011 and went on to make his debut for the U21s against Kazakhstan in October.