Forgotten Arsenal favorite offered shock test at Championship club Leeds

Francis Coquelin is on trial with Leeds United, talkSPORT understands.

The former Arsenal star is training at Thorp Arch with a view to securing a contract with the Championship club.

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Coquelin is currently without a club, having left Villarreal during the summer.

The 33-year-old will be remembered for his time in north London, with the midfielder joining as a 17-year-old in 2008.

After impressing on trial, Coquelin became a first-team player for the Gunners, making 160 appearances during his time at the club.

However, his time at the club was not without many struggles, taking eight years to establish himself as a regular under Arsene Wenger.

Loan spells with Lorient and SC Friborg did little for his first-team prospects, but a brief spell at Charlton proved to be the catalyst as he returned to the Emirates Stadium and grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Among his most memorable displays was the 2015 FA Cup final, in which Coquelin played a key role in Arsenal’s 4–0 victory over Aston Villa.

Almost 10 years after joining, Coquelin moved permanently to Spanish side Valencia in January 2018 for a fee worth £14 million.

There he made 89 appearances and helped the team win the Copa de Rey title in 2019, before joining Villarreal after 18 months.

During his time there, Coquelin played under Unai Emery and helped the team to Europa League glory in 2021.

However, with a contract that expired at the end of last season, the midfielder is now looking for his next opportunity in football.

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Leeds are in search of a midfielder having lost both of their first-choice midfielders Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev due to recent knee injuries.

They agreed to sign an agreement Cheikhou Kouyate on a short-term deal, however, that move fell through after a medical issue arose.

Tests showed the free agent would not be fit to play for several weeks, resulting in club bosses canceling a short-term deal for the former Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace player.

Daniel Farke wants to avoid damaging his team’s efficient start to the season, with the Whites in fifth place in the Championship, three points behind the leader.

Leeds have lost just one of their opening nine league games and go into Friday night’s mouth-watering clash with second-placed Sheffield United, which is live on talkSPORT, full of confidence after the 2-2 draw. 2 with Sunderland last time.

Farke will be forced to field a patchwork midfield for Friday’s clash at Elland Road, with Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka as substitutes.