Arsenal star Laurent Koscielny to leave the club at the end of his current contract in 2020

LAURENT KOSCIELNY has announced he is planning to leave the Arsenal at the end of his current contract in 2020.

The French defender, 32, is plotting his Emirates escape as he prepares to miss the rest of the year with a serious Achilles injury.

Koscielny claims the injury – that saw him miss the World Cup has made him realise there is more to life than football but failed to speculate as to his future.

On his future, Koscielny told French media: “I’m under contract until June 2020.

“Afterwards? I’m thinking of moving on, but I do not know where.

“This is not relevant anyway. I am in England, my family too. Then there will inevitably be a lot of question marks.

“The bottom line is to have health. I learned to revitalise because there are so many more serious things in life.”

Koscielny missed this summer’s World Cup in Russia with his injury and was forced to watch on as France lifted the trophy.

In the French star’s absence, new Arsenal boss Unai Emery has drafted in Borussia Dortmund’s Sokratis Papasthatopoulos.

Sokratis is tipped to start in the heart of defence this season alongside Shkodran Mustafi – as they have in pre-season.