After joining Lorient on a season-long loan last summer, Francis cemented his place under Christian Gourcuff with a string of fine performances.
The tenacious midfielder, who can also play at right-back, got some valuable experience under his belt, making 24 appearances in Ligue 1.
Francis made three Arsenal first-team appearances during 2009/10, having made his debut the previous season. He was also an integral part of the FA Youth Cup-winning side of 2009.
A French youth international, he was a key player in the France side that won the European Under-19 Championships in 2010 and travelled to Colombia for the Under-20 World Cup in July and August 2011.
