Abou Diaby and Francis Coquelin need a good summer each for different reasons.
While many of their team-mates have, and some are still, enjoyed the splendours of World Cup football this summer those Arsenal players who were not in Brazil this summer have now returned to pre-season training.
The likes of Mikel Arteta, Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs did not get call-ups – while Aaron Ramsey and Wojciech Szczesny’s respective nations did not qualify. So there was plenty of reason behind the big turn-out at Arsenal pre-season this week.
Other players spotted in action included youngsters such as Gedion Zelalem, Hector Bellerin, Chuba Akpom and Thomas Eisfeld – but it was the presence of two Frenchman that really caught the eye.
Abou Diaby and Francis Coquelin were both present.
Diaby made his return to first-team football against Norwich City on the final day of the Premier League season – his first competitive football since March 2013.
The Frenchman has been plagued with leg, knee and thigh problems over the past few years which have seriously restricted his development as a potential arsenal first-teamer. At 28-years-old, it is hard not to believe that this is not last chance saloon for the dynamic midfielder.
Coquelin spent last season playing out of position, on the left-wing, with Bundesliga side SC Freiburg – in what was an uninspiring campaign.
He had his squad number given to Yaya Sanogo last summer – so was wearing the number 35 in training. The suggestion is he will depart this summer.
Both players therefore need a good pre-season. Diaby must get up to full fitness to prevent yet another injury while Coquelin needs to impress enough to earn himself some first-team football.
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