Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny must be stripped of captain’s armband and booted out of the club after refusing to go on the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
That’s according to former Gunners midfielder and talkSPORT 2 host Adrian Clarke, who has blasted the Frenchman’s behaviour as ‘not befitting of the club captain’.
Arsenal released a surprise statement on Thursday revealing their skipper has gone against club orders and stayed behind while the rest of the squad have flown out to the USA.
It is understood Koscielny wants to return to his homeland this summer.
The 33-year-old has entered the final year of his contract in north London and has reportedly been offered a three-year deal by Ligue 1 clubs Rennes and Bordeaux.
It appears he has taken matters into his own hands in his attempt to leave the club, and Clarke has urged Arsenal to act by selling him quickly.
“This is the kind of behaviour is not befitting of the club captain,” the former Gunner said on talkSPORT 2 Today.
“Fair enough if you want to leave and if you’ve got offers from France, speak behind the scenes and try to organise it, but if the club can’t come to an agreement you just carry on your business. You go on tour and you continue those discussions.
“What we’re witnessing here is unprofessional behaviour from Laurent Koscielny.
“For me, the captaincy has to go right away and, given that he’s 33, maybe it would make sense for all parties to agree on a transfer in the coming days.
“It’s so important at the start of the season that everybody is on the same page, that everyone is together and united as one.
“If the captain doesn’t want to be there, there is only one outcome – the captain has to go.
“Personally I didn’t see Laurent Koscielny playing that often this season anyway, and if I was talking about players I would be OK with leaving the club, Koscielny would be among them.
“Is it worth holding onto a player who is desperate to leave the club? Absolutely not. We have to have a parting of the ways.
“It’s really disappointing to see that decision from the skipper. It sets a terrible example and for that reason Arsenal need to be really strong, deal with it quickly and send out a message to the other players: If you want to be here, brilliant, but if you don’t, you can go.”