Arsenal have clinched an agreement for Lorient defender Laurent Koscielny.
Arsene Wenger has landed French centre-back Koscielny as an £8.5million replacement for William Gallas.
The Arsenal chief agreed the fee with French club Lorient after weeks of haggling and having two other bids knocked back.
Koscielny, 24, will sign a four-year deal worth £25,000 a week and fill the gap left by Gallas, who quit the Emirates after failing to agree a new contract.
A Lorient insider told The Sun: "The clubs have a deal in principle and an announcement should be made in the next few days."
