Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin has insisted that his loan spell in the German Bundesliga was a tough experience which has helped shape him into the player that he has become.
Coquelin joined Arsenal in the summer of 2008 and has enjoyed loan spells at several clubs since then. At the start of the 2013/14 season the Frenchman joined Bundesliga outfit Freiburg and made 24 appearances through their campaign.
The defensive midfielder made 16 league appearances in the early part of the season before his first team chances were gradually reduced and towards the closing stages of the campaign he failed to make manager Christian Streich’s squad.
Coquelin has now become a first team fixture of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, having played in their last ten league games. The 23-year-old’s dominant performances from his defensive midfield position have seen him play every minute of the Gunners’ last seven Premier League fixtures.
He attributes his increased importance in the Gunners' midfield to his loan stint in Germany.
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“[Going out on loan] has been really important for me”, Coquelin told Arsenal Player.
“I have been out a few times in France, in Germany and in England.”
He insists that the year he spent in Germany was very tough, as the league was strong and he struggled to break into the staring eleven of a team that eventually finished 14th in the league.
“The period in Germany helped me a lot, it was a tough, tough experience mentally and that was a turning point in my career.”
However, he is happy for the experience and feels that had he not gone through the hard lessons in Germany, he might not have made it at Arsenal.
“I’m happy I went there and learned a lot.”
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