Arsenal Transfer News: Sead Kolasinac Reportedly Eyed for Summer, Latest Rumours

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is reportedly eager to sign Schalke 04 left-back Sead Kolasinac when the 23-year-old's contract expires in June. 

Per TuttoMercatoWeb (h/t Alex Wood in the Daily Star), Kolasinac is free to speak to potential suitors now about a move at the end of the season, and Arsenal are eager to snap him up as cover and competition for first-choice Nacho Monreal.

The Gunners could face competition for the young full-back, though, as Juventus are also reportedly tracking the Bosnia and Herzegovina international, per Wood.

While solid defensively, Kolasinac can also contribute in attack—as is necessary for modern full-backs—and he has netted twice and provided four assists in the Bundesliga so far this season, per WhoScored.com.

See below for a look at his capabilities:

Monreal is a solid option for Arsenal on the left of defence, but he is now 30 and "lacks the pace and attacking threat" that compatriot Hector Bellerin provides the Gunners at right-back, per Jeremy Wilson in the Telegraph.

Kieran Gibbs, Monreal's current back-up in the squad, has been starved of game time and is likely to "seek a new challenge this summer," per Wilson.

Wenger, therefore, needs to bring in added depth, and Kolasinac looks as though he could be an ideal candidate, especially if he could be snapped up for free.

Despite his relative youth, the German-born defender is already experienced. He joined the Schalke youth system in 2011, made his senior debut a year later and has already made over 80 Bundesliga appearances in his career.

The interest in him from Juve seems genuine, and reports recently suggested Kolasinac had agreed to join the Old Lady in the summer, per Sky (via Football Italia).

If Arsenal are serious about signing him, it seems they will have to move quickly and perhaps offer Schalke the chance to make some money off him in January before he becomes available for free in the summer.