Arsenal round-up: Sead Kolasinac signs; Djibril Sidibe discusses Premier League move; Club confident of convincing Kylian Mbappe

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Arsenal have completed their first summer signing, as Schalke’s Sead Kolasinac has joined the club on a free transfer. The club’s official website confirmed the deal today, stating that the Bosnian had signed a long-term contract at the Emirates Stadium. There are still regulatory processes to complete, but the fact that the club have announced the deal tells us that the 23-year-old is now a Gunners player. He was a target who found himself in high demand across Europe and it is encouraging that Arsenal managed to win the race to sign him.

Kolasinac is a powerful full-back that uses his impressive physicality to beat opposition players in attack. His contribution of three goals and five assists is an impressive return for a player in his position. It will be expected that he will become the first choice left-back at the club, which is likely to lead to the departure of either Nacho Monreal or Kieran Gibbs. Both players will attract interest from elsewhere and won’t be short of options if they are shown the door in North London.

Meanwhile, Djibril Sidibe is mentioned as a possible transfer target by L’Equipe, with the Frenchman being touted as a possible replacement for Hector Bellerin. He has enjoyed an excellent season with Ligue 1 champions Monaco and it is not surprising that he is being talked about as a player that could be on the move this summer. He was quoted as saying the following when asked about the Premier League:

“It’s a league that attracts me, but there are a lot of French players who left early or at a time in their career that wasn’t necessarily the best, and they have disappeared a little.”

There is clearly interest in a move to England at some point during his career and that is to be expected as the Premier League is considered the best league in the world. However, these quotes show maturity and suggest that he won’t push for a move this summer. Sidibe is focused on making the decision that is best for his career and the comment about French players leaving too early tells us that he may not be ready for a move at this time. It is likely that he would be considered by the Gunners if Hector Bellerin does leave, but they would face a difficult task convincing him to make the move.

Arsenal are hoping that they can convince Kylian Mbappe to make the move to North London and complete an incredible world-record transfer to land the Frenchman. The Evening Standard report that the club haven’t been put off by the vast sums involved and are keen to press ahead with a deal. Arsene Wenger and Ivan Gazidis are both in France currently, with the teenage sensation being the main reason for their visit. There is a belief that a package that is less dependent on add-ons and performance-related payments could convince Monaco to sell.

It would be an extraordinary transfer if Arsenal do manage to complete it and it would be difficult to question the club for a lack of ambition. That may have been true in previous summers, but the Gunners mean business at the moment and they are right to press ahead with a move for Mbappe. He may be 18-years-old, but he has already proven himself at a high level and his potential is huge. It remains a difficult deal to complete and there is a long way to go, but this is encouraging from the club.

Featured image: All rights reserved by Stuart MacFarlane