Arsenal have reportedly completed the signing of Bosnian defender Sead Kolasinac.
According to Rebecca Louise Coles of The Sun, Arsenal have secured the services of highly-rated Bosnian left-back Sead Kolasinac on a five-year deal from Bundesliga side Schalke. The 23-year-old runs out of contract at the end of the season, and will move to Arsenal on a free transfer.
This will come as good news to the Arsenal faithful as they have seen their side fall to new lows, particularly on the defensive front. In fact, in the very first game of the season, they conceded four goals at home to Liverpool.
As the season progressed, things appeared to be getting better, but never were the North Londoners fully in control of proceedings. They are now likely to finish outside the top four for the first time in 18 years and, thus, miss out on Champions League football.
At left-back Nacho Monreal has been the preferred option ahead of Kieran Gibbs for manager Arsene Wenger. However, at 31, Monreal does not possess the same amount of pace and guile as his full-back partner Hector Bellerin on the right, and has not had the best of run ins.
The Spaniard has been a limited full-back for almost the entirety of the season, and has seldom contributed in the offensive third. His lack of speed has been evident as he has been caught out of position when trying to surge forward.
His understudy Gibbs is unfortunately not the level Wenger would have wanted him to be, and the Frenchman is unlikely to hand him a first-team role in the near future. Thus, he will be relieved that negotiations have finally come to an end with Kolasinac.
The Bosnian has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates for the last few months, and is now understood to have agreed to personal terms before completing his move when the transfer window opens in July.
At 23, Kolasinac is ready to play a regular first-team role at Arsenal and is also considered as one for the future. Still at a relatively nascent age, the Bosnian is unlikely to have a tough time in adapting to life in the Premier League and could be a key signing over the course of next season.
Arsenal have also beaten the likes of Chelsea and Juventus, who were reportedly interested in signing the defender as well. This is definitely going to give the Arsenal supporters something to smile about after enduring a pitiful 2016/17 campaign.
