Coquelin secures loan move to Freiburg

Arsenal have confirmed that they have sent midfielder Francis Coquelin on a season-long loan to German side SC Freiburg.

The France U21 international has played 43 times for the Gunners since joining from Ligue 2 side Stade Lavallois in 2008, and was part of the squad that won the FA Youth Cup in 2009.

After a season long loan with Lorient in 2010/11, Coquelin returned to England, making his Premier League debut in the 8-2 defeat to Manchester United in August 2011.

The 22 year old signed a long term contract with the Gunners last January, suggesting that his future is very much at the Emirates, though he has been given the opportunity to play more first team football with the Bundesliga side, who last season narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Champions League.

Coquelin becomes the second Arsenal player this week to move to Germany for the 2013/2014 campaign, following Johan Djourou’s switch to Hamburg.