Francis Coquelin signs for Stade Lavallois 18 years after leaving | OneFootball

Francis Coquelin has signed for Stade Lavallois, completing a return to his hometown club at 35. The deal was sealed on Monday, almost 18 years after he first left.

According to L'Équipe, the midfielder leaves Nantes after 18 months at the club, his contract having expired, and will play in Ligue 2 for the first time in his career. It will not be with the Canaris, relegated from Ligue 1, as he heads back to Laval.

Born in Laval and developed at Stade Lavallois, he never made a senior appearance before departing for Arsenal. He left without a first-team minute at a time when the Tangos had lost professional status, and will finally run out at Stade Francis-Le Basser this season.

Coquelin played 160 matches for Arsenal between 2008 and 2018, interspersed with three loans to Lorient, Fribourg and Charlton.

He then moved to Spain, featuring for Valence CF and Villarreal, and won the Europa League with Villarreal in 2021.

Source: L'Équipe