Why Sparky might simply walk away
Wenger hails cult hero Kolasinac as the strongest player he’s worked with.. and he won’t be bullied by Potters
ARSENE WENGER reckons Sead Kolasinac is the strongest player he has worked with – and a reason they will not get bullied at Stoke.
Tough defender Kolasinac is already becoming a cult figure among Arsenal fans because of his hardman reputation and is a throwback to the days of Patrick Vieira and Martin Keown. Arsenal have had a history of being outmuscled at Stoke but Wenger believes they are more experienced and can mix it physically. Gunners boss Wenger said: “Maybe he is the strongest I have worked with, he is naturally strong. “He uses the strength of his body quite well and when he intervenes it doesn’t look to be a foul, he just uses his body strength. It is an important quality to help adapt to the Premier League.
“He has the capacity to repeat runs and we noticed when we watched him play he is quite dangerous in the final third. He already has some assists here so overall maybe he is not a glamorous dribbler but the quality of his runs is very efficient.
“The determined attitude gets to the crowd and that gives something to the team, you can see that with him and when he intervenes he provokes happiness.
“There is something there, you feel that from the crowd.
“We conceded too many goals last year but I did not have the feeling it was especially because we were bullied.
“When we built the stadium we had to sell players and had very young players. And at 18, 19, when we played Fabregas or Nasri they were very young and did not have the experience to deal with that so much.
“And we had less-physical players on top of that maybe, but most of the time it was because we had a very young team.” Kolasinac scored at Wembley in the Community Shield and provided an assist in Arsenal’s opening Premier League win against Leicester.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina international, who can operate at left wingback or in central defence, signed on a free transfer and Wenger believes increasingly that will be the way forward for clubs.
Wenger added: “Watching him, I thought he had the quality. I met him and he had a good spirit and a good attitude so overall it was a nobrainer for us.
“It is a nice bargain and you might find it more and more.
“I have said it many times, that more and more players will go to the end of their contract because the transfer fee and the inflation are too high and the agents will be demanding and clubs will not be in a position to extend contracts.”
Arsenal won at Stoke last season but Wenger is set to be without Alexis Sanchez as he recovers from a groin problem.