Arsenal are now being linked with the young defender from Schalke, Sead Kolasinac. The Bosnian left-back, who can also play in the centre, is one of the success stories of the last couple of Bundesliga seasons and is a no brainer to be linked with other clubs.
For Arsenal, there is an interesting byline to this story. The Spanish defender Nacho Monreal is continuously linked with a move back to Spain. Though there is no confirmation of Monreal moving out, it is being told that if he moves out then Kolasinac will be the replacement.
Target or not, Kolasinac is at the prime of his career and the 22-year-old defender impressed with his displays through the season. He joined the Schalke’s academy in 2011 from Stuttgart. Since then, he has risen through the ranks to become a very key member of the squad.
Arsenal are supposed to be following him up with lot of interest. However, they are not the only clubs interested. Kolasinac indicated in the last transfer window that Manchester United are interested in his services. Of course, nothing moved to the level of a proposal and Kolasina stayed back at the club.
Kolasinac suffered a knee ligament injury on the opening day of the last season. He missed majority of the campaign before returning to action in April this year. This may hamper his chances of moving to bigger clubs. Interested clubs are still weighing the merits and demerits of going for the Bosnian.
There is reported interest from the Italian clubs also with a view of submitting a bid. Kolasinac has earned five international caps for Bosnia. He still has two years left on his contract Schalke.
Could this be true? If the reports of Monreal leaving the club are anyway close to truth, Wenger would like to go for an experienced player as cover for his first choice defenders. The fee mooted is around £10 million. The young defender is also wanted by Juventus, Roma, Fiorentina and Inter Milan.
Wenger must decide quickly if he is looking to sell off Monreal. Kolasinac will be an ideal replacement because of many factors, not least his age. The young Bosnian offers versatility because he is adept at playing many roles. We may not have heard the last on this matter.
Sridhar