Edu offers parting message to Kolasinac as Arsenal exodus begins
Arsenal have announced that defender Sead Kolasinac has agreed to join Schalke on a loan deal until the end of the season.
The confirmation follows earlier reports that the Bosnian’s departure was imminent.
Kolasinac has only made eight appearances this season, including one in the Premier League.
Indeed, he has had greatest influence in the Gunners’ Europa League campaign, making four outings.
Arsenal technical director Edu said that the deal would “benefit” Kolasinac, who needs more game time.
“Sead needs to be playing regularly, so we have decided together that a move back to Germany with Schalke will benefit him at this moment,” Edu said (via arsenal.com).
“We will be keeping in close contact with Sead, and wish him huge success for the remainder of the season with Schalke.”
Kolasinac will return to the club at which he spent five years before his 2017 move to Arsenal. He made 123 appearances for the German club.
He wrote on Twitter after sealing his latest transfer: “I wish my team all the best for the next six months!
“Thanks for everything! Stay strong, stay safe and stay healthy!”
Arteta divulges Arsenal January plans
Meanwhile, manager Mikel Arteta said in Thursday’s press conference that his January priority is ratifying exits from the club.
Arsenal have a bloated squad with too many homegrown players. Indeed, that problem has led to Mesut Ozil and Sokratis Papastathopoulos’ exclusions from the team.
Arteta said: “Well, we have a large squad. We knew that. A lot of things that should have happened in the summer we could not accomplish them for different reasons.
“There are a lot of players that are going to go on loan. They are going to leave. And that’s the priority at the moment because we cannot sustain the numbers that we have in certain positions.
“We are looking to do that. And then we will see if we have the right opportunities in the positions that we need some more help we are working with the club to try to address them.”
Calum Chambers is among the other players who could leave. However, Arteta moved to keep Reiss Nelson’s future at The Emirates, explaining the attacker’s recent absence.