Is Sead Kolasinac A Good Buy For Arsenal?
According to reports, Arsenal have completed their first signing ahead of the next season, with the arrival of Schalke’s left-back Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer.
The Bosnian international was on the radar of several other clubs, with Everton, Liverpool, AC Milan, Chelsea and Manchester City all credited with a serious interest in his services. However, Arsenal have managed to gazump their competition with a bumper contract offer and the reports claim that a pre-contract has been agreed upon by the player and the Gunners.
A Schalke academy graduate, Kolasinac made his debut for the senior side back in 2012 and has gone on to make 112 appearances in total so far, scoring 4 goals in the process. Having represented Germany at youth international levels, the 23-year old switched allegiances to Bosnia and has made 17 appearances for the Bosnian senior national team.
The £7.65m rated left-back, after spending a good part of the last two years on the sidelines due to serious injuries, is enjoying his finest season for Schalke. In 31 appearances across all competitions, the Bosnian international has scored 3 goals and has set up seven more strikes and has been one of their standout performers.
Given his age and his level of performances, it was natural that quite a number of big clubs circled upon him; especially because he was available for free, with his contract set to expire in three months. And Arsenal have managed to seal the deal with the player set to join them in July.
However, is the move to Arsenal the right one for Kolasinac? Would he have been better served moving to Liverpool instead?
It is no secret that Liverpool were heavily interested in the signature of the 23-year old and have been pursuing his signature since January earlier this year. And it is not surprising.
The Reds have been heavily depleted in the left-back department this season. Makeshift defender James Milner has performed admirably well for the course of the season, but in Alberto Moreno, they have a back-up who is more of a liability at the back. The Spaniard has made just 15 appearances so far this season and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him leave in the summer.
With Milner’s advancing age and Moreno’s future in doubts, Kolasinac would have been the ideal man to come in at Anfield and he would have become the first-choice left back without a question. His natural attacking instincts, coupled with the pace that he possesses would have made him the perfect fit for the way Liverpool operate under Jurgen Klopp. And with the Reds sitting in top four in the league standings, qualification for Champions League looks almost certain.
On the other hand, Arsenal are a club that have not been at their best in the past year or so. There have been issues on the field and off the field throughout the course of the ongoing campaign. The Gunners currently occupy the 6th place in the league table and a Champions League qualification looks like a distant possibility this time. Add to that the uncertainty surrounding the future of several stars like Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, things don’t really look bright at the Emirates.
Throwing in the speculations surrounding the exit of long-serving manager Arsene Wenger, who is in the final few months of his contract, it just adds to the grim situation at the club.
With Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs still in the ranks, Kolasinac is not a guaranteed starter week in week out, like he would have been at Liverpool. No involvement in the Champions League is another aspect, that he would have most likely enjoyed if he had chosen to move to the Merseysiders.
Under Klopp, Liverpool are making the right noises and heading in the right direction over the past year and a half, while Arsenal have been on a decline under Wenger in recent past and things do not look very good for the North Londoners in the near future. Considering all the facts in hand, Liverpool would have been a much better destination for Kolasinac at the moment, than joining Arsenal. But now that he has inked a deal, he would be gunning to help the Gunners get back to their best in the coming years.