Laurent Koscielny Refuses to Travel with Arsenal for US Summer Tour

Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny has refused to travel with the squad for their pre-season tour of the United States.

Goal's Charles Watts reported the news and shared a club statement on the matter:

The Gunners will play four matches on U.S. soil as part of their pre-season tour, with their first game on Monday at 7 p.m. ET (Tuesday, 2 a.m. BST) against Colorado Rapids in Commerce City, Colorado. 

According to sports writer James Benge, Koscielny's refusal to travel with the squad is due to his desire to return to France:

Per Get French Football News, the saga has been dragging on behind the scenes for weeks, and the defender has three "firm" offers from clubs in France:

The 33-year-old has been with the club since 2010. He only started 13 Premier League matches last season, however.

Injuries have been a regular issue for the veteran in recent years, but when healthy, he's been arguably the team's most consistent centre-back. He's also a fan favourite and, as stated by Benge, a respected figure around the club.

Sports writer James Olley also thought the refusal to travel was out of character for the captain:

While Koscielny may be hoping for a release so he can move back to France for free, Arsenal's limited budget this summer means they can ill afford to let him go. 

The Gunners have been criticised by Celtic manager Neil Lennon for bidding too low for Kieran Tierney, per Goal's Chris Burton, and their opening bid of £40 million for Wilfried Zaha was only half of Crystal Palace's valuation of the forward, per Sky Sports.

Every penny counts for Arsenal this summer, so even if they are open to parting with Koscielny, they will likely hold out for some kind of transfer fee.

Per Benge, a split was not in their plans:

This sudden move from the club captain will throw a serious wrench into Arsenal's pre-season preparations, as well as their transfer plans.