Sead Kolasinac: Arsenal to sign Bosnian defender from Schalke

Kolasinac is to sign a five-year contract with the Gunners

Arsenal have announced left-back Sead Kolasinac will join them this summer from German club Schalke.

The Bosnia-Herzegovina international, 23, will join on a free transfer and become an Arsenal player on 1 July when the transfer window opens.

"Subject to the completion of all regulatory processes, the defender will start pre-season training in July," said an Arsenal statement.

Schalke confirmed that the defender had signed a deal "which runs until 2022".

The Bundesliga club also tweeted: "Good luck in the future and thank you for six great years."

Kolasinac helped Schalke finish 10th in the Bundesliga last season, while they reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League where they were knocked out by eventual beaten finalists Ajax.

"Arsenal has a huge tradition and I followed the club as a young boy, in the days of Jens Lehmann and Thierry Henry," he told the London club's website.

"Arsenal has always been a club that is well recognised in Europe and I'm pleased to be here.

"I'm a player who will try to help the team as well as I can. My strengths are my mentality.

"I think left back is where I feel most comfortable. I can play as part of a three at the back too or further forward. I'm really flexible."

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