Laurent Koscielny has opened up on his controversial exit video which enraged Arsenal fans as he joined Bordeaux last summer.
Koscielny was seen taking off a Gunners shirt to reveal the jersey of his new side when he made the £4.5million switch last summer.
The centre-half had a year left on his contract but agitated for a move, refusing to take part in the club’s pre-season trip to the USA.
Downing tools had the desired effect for Koscielny, who returned to his native France after nine years with Arsenal.
But the video to announce his move was blasted by fans and labelled “disrespectful” by Gunners legend Nigel Winterburn.
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Koscielny has now apologised for the video stunt, saying he hadn’t meant to offend the club’s supporters.
“I had nine incredible years there, lots of memories with this club,” he said in quotes reported by Get French Football News.
“I know that my announcement video at Bordeaux caused a bit of a stir. I want to apologise to the fans for that – I didn’t expect it to affect them in the way that it did.”
At the time, club legend Winterburn blasted the way the departing captain handled his exit.
“Koscielney’s departure from the club was disrespectful,” said the former left-back, who won three top-flight titles with Arsenal.
“As club captain and after being at the club for nine years, he should have known better.
“If he was revealing a Real Madrid or Barcelona shirt then I can understand but it’s Bordeaux!
“As club captain you have a huge responsibility to your football club to lead by example in everything you do day to day, but particularly what you do out on the pitch, and with social media, and the way things are now; everything is picked up on.”
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Koscielny went on to make 25 league appearances for Bordeaux, who finished 12th in Ligue 1 last season, with the 2019/20 French campaign having been curtailed due to coronavirus.
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