Sead Kolasinac has told Schalke fans he’s ‘happy and proud’ to be returning on loan from Arsenal this winter and says he’s ‘100 per cent convinced’ the side will get out of their current predicament and remain in the Bundesliga.
The 27-year-old left-back has struggled for regular game-time since Kieran Tierney’s arrival at Arsenal and put pen to paper on a six-month deal with his former club Schalke after several weeks of negotiations.
Kolasinac’s contract will come into effect as of January 4 and the Bosnia and Herzegovina international will take over the captain’s armband from Omar Mascarell and wear the No.20 shirt.
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The defender, who spent five years with Schalke’s first-team before his 2017 switch to north London, returns with the team sitting rock-bottom of the German top flight – but he’s confident he can help Christian Gross’ men out of their ‘difficult situation’.
‘I’m happy and proud to be wearing the royal blue of Schalke 04 once again,’ Kolasinac told the club’s official website.
‘The club is currently in a difficult situation. Over the coming weeks and months I want to do my part in order to help us pick up as many points as possible.
‘We will manage to stay up together, I’m 100 per cent convinced of it!’
The full-back added: ‘I’m also very happy to be reunited with several familiar faces, both in the team and backroom staff.
‘I never lost touch with FC Schalke 04. Returning to Gelsenkirchen was something I really wanted to do.’
‘We have been working hard on Sead Kolasinac’s return for a while now, and are very proud to have a true Schalker returning home,’ Schneider said.
‘Sead’s character and strength will exemplify the values that Schalke 04 stands for and are exactly what’s needed in the fight to stay up.’
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Mikel Arteta confirmed ‘a lot of players’ were set for temporary moves out of Arsenal this January.
‘A lot of things that should have happened in the summer we could not accomplish them for different reasons,’ the Arsenal head coach said.
‘There are a lot of players that are going to go on loan. They are going to leave.
‘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.’
