Francis Coquelin gives thumbs up as he poses in Valencia shirt after leaving Arsenal in £10.6m move

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Francis Coquelin has agreed to join La Liga side Valencia on a four-and-a-half-year contract following a decade with Arsenal, the Spanish club announced on Thursday.

Coquelin, 26, arrived at Arsenal from French side Laval in 2008 and went on to make 160 first-team appearances.

The combative midfielder spent several loan spells away from the Gunners before establishing himself as an integral part of a Arsene Wenger side which won the FA Cup in both 2015 and 2017. 

Francis Coquelin completed his £10.6million move to Valencia on Thursday afternoon 

Arsene Wenger confirmed the move following Arsenal's 0-0 draw with Chelsea in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg. 

Asked on Sky Sports whether he could confirm the midfielder was on his way to Spain, the Frenchman replied: 'Yes.' 

Sportsmail revealed on Monday the La Liga side were in pole position for the 26-year-old ahead of West Ham.

The Frenchman has been at Arsenal since joining from Stade Lavallois as a 17-year-old in July 2008 following a successful trial.

He spent loan spells away at Lorient, Freiburg and Charlton before eventually becoming a first-team fixture in the second half of the 2014-15 season.

Coquelin has gone on to make a total of 159 first-team appearances under Arsene Wenger but has never found the back of the net.

The Frenchman spent a decade at Arsenal after arriving from French side Laval in 2008