Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka looked all but set to leave the club this summer after spending seven-years in north London, however the saga may have taken a twist. The Switzerland international has enjoyed his most successful season to date with the Gunners, moving to a more advanced midfield role.
It resulted in the 30-year-old managing his best attacking returns throughout his career, being involved in 16 goals across all competitions in the campaign. Though with just one-year remaining on his contract, an exit seems likely as rumours ramp up over a move to Bayer Leverkusen.
Xhaka is presumed to have played his last game at the Emirates Stadium, where he bagged a 15-minute brace against Wolves as a final farewell. "Well deserved. He’s had an incredible season," Mikel Arteta said of the atmosphere the star was greeted with during the clash.
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While an exit seems all but confirmed, with the midfielder posting farewell messages on his social media over the past week or so, the switch appears to be on hold. According to a report from German outlet Kicker, Arteta is looking to have a replacement in place before letting Xhaka leave.
It means that almost everything else over the deal is completed, with the transfer fee appearing to be of no issue between Arsenal and Leverkusen. However, it could take some time to make sure it is finalised if the Gunners are going to be ambitious with their replacement selections.
football.london understands that Declan Rice is a top priority for the north London outfit this summer, while Moises Caicedo, Mason Mount and Ilkay Gundogan are just a few other names that have been linked. Given the process to landing those players, it could still be a while before a replacement is secured, putting the Xhaka move on hold.
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