Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny says his unusual road to the top of the game has made him a stronger character.

The 27-year-old spent much of his early career in the lower leagues of French football at Guingamp, Tours and Lorient before moving to Arsenal in 2010.

"You have some young players that you [immediately] know will become very good, and some who take a different road, like me, Olivier Giroud and Franck Ribery," Koscielny told Arsenal Player.

"There are a lot of players who did not play in academies when they were younger. It is better for us because we passed through difficult situations and this makes us stronger now."