Sead Kolasinac Nears Arsenal Exit as Bayer Leverkusen Close on Agreement

Sead Kolasinac is close to securing his return to the Bundesliga, with Bayer Leverkusen in the final stages of wrapping up a deal with Arsenal for his services.

The Bosnian international has spoken of his desire to return to Germany for family reasons, after spending his entire career in the country before his move to north London in 2017.

Kolasinac joined the Gunners on a free transfer after spending seven years at Schalke, making 123 senior appearances in the process.

German news outlet SPORT Bild have now revealed that a deal to bring the 27-year-old to Leverkusen is in its final stages, with confirmation imminent.

Die Werkself are keen to reinvest the funds brought about by the sale of Kai Havertz to Chelsea before the 5 October transfer deadline and Kolasinac is one of their priority targets.

The deal to bring the Bosnian back to the Bundesliga is said to be in the region of €10m, while the Arsenal man's hefty wage at Arsenal - roughly €9m-a-year - is set to be mitigated by offering him a longer contract.

After establishing himself as a prominent member in Unai Emery's starting XI during the Spaniard's ill-fated 15-month reign at the Emirates, Kolasinac gradually fell down the pecking order of his successor, Mikel Arteta.

The Bosnia international made 24 appearances under Emery during the 2018/19 campaign and 26 last time out, but the emergence of 2019 summer signing Kieran Tierney and Ainsley Maitland-Niles as a left wing-back following Arteta's switch to a 3-4-3 has left Kolasinac on the periphery.

He'll be playing under a manager at Leverkusen - Peter Bosz - revered for his tactical flexibility and the 27-year-old will undoubtedly be tasked with performing a plethora of functions. Kolasinac's current rivals for a starting berth at his destined new club are Brazilian Wendell and dynamic Dutchman Daley Sinkgraven.