Sead Kolašinac to leave Marseille for Atalanta on free transfer | OneFootball

Having established himself as a key part of the Marseille defence over the last season and a half, former Arsenal man Sead Kolašinac is set to move on a free transfer once again – this time, crossing to the other side of the Alps.

L’Équipe indicate today that the Bosnian is closing in on a deal to sign for Atalanta. Talks over a potential contract extension with Les Phocéens had begun back in February of this year, but the negotiations stalled once it came to discussing the defender’s salary.

The Serie A side, meanwhile, came in with an offer worth €2m per season, as part of a two-year contract with an option for an additional third campaign, effectively trumping Marseille’s proposals. The Italians were particularly keen on bringing in a full-back, and the 30-year-old success in the system put in place by Igor Tudor – who is inspired by Atalanta’s Gian Piero Gasperini – made him an ideal profile.

Kolašinac is now expected to arrive in Bergamo at the start of the week in order to undergo his medical. His departure, along with those of Nuno Tavares and Issa Kaboré – who are returning to their parent clubs, Arsenal and Manchester City respectively – mean that Marseille will now need to focus their recruitment efforts on the full-back positions. Kolašinac, who is adept both as a left-sided centre-back and as a full-back, would have been especially useful for incoming head coach Marcelino, who is expected to put out a four-man defence.

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin