Valencia sign Arsenal midfielder with €80m release clause

Valencia have announced they have signed Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin on a contract that will run until June 2022.

Marcelino’s side have fended off interest from West Ham to prise the French midfielder away from Arsenal in a deal worth a reported £10m.

Coquelin, who now has a €80m (£71.2m) release clause, needed to leave Arsenal this month in order to find regular playing time this season.

“I am very happy, it is a big challenge, it is the start of a new life for me, therefore I am very excited about it,” Coquelin told the club’s official website.

The 26-year-old will be looking to make up for lost time after only managing 157 minutes of playing time in the Premier League for Arsenal this season.

Coquelin did start four of Arsenal’s six Europa League group matches and finished with a strong WhoScored rating of 7.37.

In fact, only five players average more passes per game in the competition than Coquelin this term (84.3).