Arsenal have reportedly opened up negotiations with the representative of Schalke 04 left-back Sead Kolasinac. The Bosnian international is available on a Bosman with his current deal due to expire in the summer.
Kolasinac, 23, had been heavily tipped for a Premier League move last winter with west London rivals Chelsea having made a £5.3m approach which was turned down by the German outfit.
While both Manchester City and Liverpool have been credited with an interest in the left-sided defender in recent weeks, The Mail claims that the Gunners are the latest to have thrown their name into the hat.
Gunners’ first-choice left-back Nacho Monreal has not been in the best of form during the ongoing campaign, and there is a suggestion that the club could move in for a younger recruit with deputy Kieran Gibbs unsure of his Emirates’ future.
Gibbs is expected to sit and talk about a potential extension beyond 2018, but there is every possibility that he could be offloaded given his reduced playing time over the past few seasons.
Kolasinac, who represents his parents’ nation Bosnia and Herzegovina at the international level, is also capable of featuring in central defence or holding midfield, and this provides the Gunners’ with the much-needed versatility ahead of the 2017/18 season.
The former German youth international has provided three goals and seven assists in 31 appearances for Schalke this term while also managing nearly three tackles/interceptions per game on average.
The FA Cup semi-finalists are due to bring in at least four to five players during the coming transfer window, but their arrivals could be partially dependent on whether they manage to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Arsenal are seven points off fourth-placed Manchester City with a game in hand following an embarrassing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday night.
