Arsenal's Francis Coquelin, left, as he runs to tackle Barcelona's Lionel Messi (AP)
Spanish team Valencia have agreed to sign French midfielder Francis Coquelin from Arsenal, the clubs confirmed on Thursday.
Valencia agreed a deal worth 12 million pounds ($16.25 million) for Coquelin, according to British media reports. The La Liga club confirmed he will sign a contract until June 2022, with a buyout clause of 80 million euros ($96.4 million).
"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 said in a statement.
"I have seen the team, they are going along very well, they are third in the table. I have watched their recent games, since I knew that the negotiations between the two clubs were picking up, such as the Copa del Rey game versus Las Palmas. They were very good."
The 26-year-old, who joined the North London club as a youth player in 2008, made 160 appearances for Arsene Wenger's side but struggled to get first-team opportunities this season.
He featured in just seven Premier League matches, coming on as a substitute in six of them.
Short link: