In what it is perhaps the clearest indication that Arsène Wenger is set to stay at Arsenal, the Gunners have signed soon to become a free agent, Sead Kolašinac from Bundesliga side, FC Schalke 04. The Bosnian defender’s current contract with the club expires in the summer and Arsenal have signed him on a lucrative pre-contract. The North London club will officially announce his arrival to the club on the 1st of July when he is expected put pen to paper on a four-year deal.
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A whole host of clubs were fighting to acquire the full-back’s signature. And it’s reported that Juventus, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton were all interested in signing the defender from the Bundesliga, but Arsenal has proved to be the most attractive proposition for Sead. Now he’s set to replace the seemingly outgoing Kieran Gibbs in the Arsenal squad.
We know he’s Arsène Wenger’s latest addition to the Arsenal squad, but there are several things we don’t know about the unknown 23-year old.
Here are 5 things you didn’t know about Arsenal’s new signing, Sead Kolašinac.
#5 Working class background
Often in rags to riches stories, we hear about how players come from poor backgrounds to become stars in football. Sead Kolasinac’s story is no different. The German-born Bosnian came from a working class home where his father was a industry factory worker. Sead’s father Faik Kolasinac worked for a Mercedes-Benz factory in Germany during the time Sead was born.
Faik was actually born in Serbia and Montenegro until his family moved to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1969 where he eventually met Sead’s mum. Due to the Orthodox roots of Faik, the whole family, including Sead, are now practising Muslims.
#4 He’s versatile
As the demands of modern football become more and more rigorous by the day, it’s increasingly important for footballers to be versatile. Players must now be ready to take up any position on the pitch in times of emergency. And Sead Kolašinac fits that mould perfectly.
We already know the Bosnian International specialises in the left-back position but did you know the 23-year old has also played at centre-back, a defensive midfielder, left midfielder and of course, left wingback.
Throughout his youth career, Kolašinac was taught to apply all traits of defending regardless of his position on the pitch. Having started his career as a centre-back, over time he has become an all-purpose defender that can adjust to any situation.
Not one to shy away from tackles he is always willing to enter a 50-50. And whilst he loves to play short passes, he is also prone to committing fouls.
#3 Bags of experience in Germany
When you’re a highly touted prospect, you’re bound to move from club to bigger club. At the age of eight years, Sead Kolasinac started his football career at boyhood club Karlsruher SC and after having spent eight years at the club he moved onto Bundesliga side, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
However, after only one season at Hoffenheim, he moved onto greener pastures at VfB Stuttgart. His stay at Stuttgart, though, was also short-lived as he moved to Schalke half a year later where he finally settled down.
After having arrived at Schalke at the age of 18, he was able to break into the first team withing a year. He’s, in fact, one of the youngest players to play first team football in Schalke history.
#2 He used to play for Germany
Just like his former Schalke teammate Kevin-Prince Boateng, Kolašinac has played for two countries on the international stage. Before opting to play for his native country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sead Kolašinac was a member of the German youth teams for a while.
Due to his talent, Kolašinac rose through the ranks in Germany quickly as he played for their U18s, U19s and U20s and it was only in 2013 that the defender made his international debut for Bosnia in a 2-0 defeat to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
Though his parents were natives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sead Kolašinac was born in Germany as his parents had migrated to the country at the time. The Schalke full-back was born on the 20th of June, 1993 in Karlsruhe a city in south-west Germany where he grew up.
#1 He owns a World Cup record
At the 2014 World Cup, Bosnia and Herzegovina made their first appearance ever at a major international tournament. After helping his newly chosen country of football qualify for the coveted World Cup finals in 2014, Kolašinac would shock the world in Brazil. In their first game ever at the World Cup, Sead Kolašinac would go on to make a name for himself in the most unwarranted way ever.
In an opening game defeat to eventual finalists Argentina, Sead Kolašinac scored the quickest own goal in World Cup history. The German-born Bosnian was on the unfortunate end of a deflected Lionel Messi cross in the 3rd minute of the tie. The own goal was the 39th own goal in World Cup history and only two more have been scored since.
Bosnia and Herzegovina would go on to lose another group match to Nigeria and then win their last game of the group against Iran, 3-1. Three points, however, wouldn’t be enough for the Bosnians to progress from the group, meaning Kolašinac and his men were sent home early.
Bosnia are currently on course to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and I’m sure Kolašinac will be hoping to break records in a more positive light.
