London, England – English Premier League club Arsenal announced Tuesday that defender Laurent Koscielny has agreed to a long-term contract extension with the club.
Koscielny arrived at Arsenal in the summer of 2010 from Ligue 1 side Lorient and has nailed down a first-team place after a stretch of consistent performances in defense. Over the past two seasons, the Frenchman has started 85 games for the club across all competitions, more than any other Arsenal player.
"Laurent has been outstanding for us over the last two seasons," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told the club's official website. "When you consider that until 2009 he was playing in Ligue 2 in France and that he is now performing at the very top level in the Premier League and for his country, the development that he has shown has been absolutely exceptional.
"Laurent is a top-class player and I am very pleased he has decided to commit his future to the club."
The 26-year-old has earned four caps for France, most recently putting in a 90-minute shift in the nation's Euro 2012 loss to Spain in the quarterfinals.
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