BBC pundit Garth Crooks has hailed Arsenal left-sided flyer Saed Kolasinac as the “signing of the season”.
The former Tottenham striker hit out at “know it all” Gunners supporters for moaning about Arsene Wenger not sanctioning mega-money transfers throughout his playing squad as he eulogised the 27-times Bosnia international.
Kolasinac, 24, was snapped up on a free transfer by Arsenal in the summer window when his Schalke contract had expired and he has settled in well on the left side of Wenger’s 3-4-2-1 formation.
He has started nine of the Gunners’ 10 Premier League fixtures and was integral to their 2-1 win against Swansea on Saturday, scoring one and providing the assist for Aaron Ramsey’s winner.
“I was very impressed with Sead Kolasinac when Arsenal played Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season and he has since become a regular feature in the Gunners set-up,” Crooks told the BBC Sport website.
“Kolasinac only joined the club at the beginning of the season, and on a free transfer, which really does knock the stuffing out of all those Arsenal ‘know it all’ supporters who have been caning Arsene Wenger for not spending millions on players the manager thinks are not worth it.
“Kolasinac must be the signing of the season and he already looks like a player who has won the respect and admiration of his team-mates. The goal he scored against Swansea was well taken, but the move and assist for Aaron Ramsey to score was just fabulous football from the Bosnia-Herzegovina international.
“To find yourself so far up the field in open play is one thing but having the composure to handle matters so effectively is something entirely different. If Wenger is free during the international break, perhaps Theresa May might ask the Arsenal manager if he could conduct the Brexit negotiations with European chief negotiator Michel Barnier.”
OPINION
Steady on, Garth. Kolasinac has made a decent early impression at Arsenal but the pundit has gone overboard by calling him the ‘signing of the season’. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Manchester United’s Nemanja Matic, Watford’s Richarlison, Chelsea’s Alvaro Morata and Tottenham’s Davison Sanchez are among those who have made a far bigger impression than Kolasinac, albeit at far higher prices.