The Premier League duo are crying out for a new left-back but Sead Kolasinac will not come to their aid.
In-demand Schalke left-back Sead Kolasinac has poured cold water on speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League with negotiations set to begin on an improved contract at the Veltins Arena, Tuttomercatoweb reports.
The Bosnian international became a regular in the Schalke first-team in the 2013/14 season but is only now starting to deliver on his early promise after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury at the start of the following campaign before muscling out Chelsea loanee Baba Rahman to return to his natural spot on the left-hand side of defence.
His combative approach play and attacking style has attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, with Liverpool leading the chase and West Brom ready to reignite their interest after baulking at his £10 million asking price in the summer, according to The Mirror.
However, Kolasinac has now moved to bring an end to such speculation, confirming that he has no desire to depart a side beginning a bright new era under the management of highly-rated coach Markus Weinzierl and shrewd chief executive Christian Heidel.
“I feel very good here at Schalke, it’s a great club, where I fit perfectly,” the 23-year-old said in quotes reported by Tuttomercatoweb.
“Heidel has already called my agent in order to talk about a new contract. Of course, we’ll need to reach a solution satisfying both sides, but there’s neither particular pressure nor a need to hurry.”
It goes without saying that Liverpool and West Brom will be disappointed by these latest developments, with reinforcements for the left-back position surely taking pride and place among their list of priorities.
James Milner has filled in admirably due to Jurgen Klopp’s understandable mistrust of Alberto Moreno but is not a specialist in the position, forced to cut inside on his natural right foot rather than fly past on the overlap to stretch the play.
The former England stalwart admitted to the Liverpool Echo that he was aiming to prove to Klopp that the club don’t need an upgrade at left-back, though the German is likely to have taken note of Kolasinac’s progress while in charge of Ruhr neighbours Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Baggies boss Tony Pulis has had to make do with natural right-sider Allan Nyom in recent weeks.
Pulis typically prefers more defensively minded players on the flanks of his defence, often employing centre-halves out of position to create a solid back four, but the arrival of Kolasinac would have provided him with an orthodox threat on the left-hand side.
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