Arsenal started the season excellently with six wins from seven fixtures which sees the Gunners sit at the top of the table heading into the September international break. A major reason why Mikel Arteta’s side are leading the Premier League is due to the crucial presence of Granit Xhaka in the middle of the park.
Xhaka has proved how much of a pivot asset he is to Arsenal in recent weeks with excellent performances, which was topped off in his most recent display against Brentford, where his excellent assist for Jesus secured all three points for the Gunners.
The 29-year-old's long-term Arsenal future seemed uncertain in the summer as football.london understood that Roma were expected to make a fresh attempt to sign the Swiss international at the end of last season. The Serie A side was close to signing Xhaka last summer but a deal broke down due to the two clubs being unable to agree on a fee, and Jose Mourinho even had a £12million bid rejected.
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He's had a rollercoaster six years at the Emirates Stadium which include incredible highs of winning the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium and being named club captain, but devastating lows such as being booed off by his own fans while wearing that armband.
The Xhaka saga looked to have come to a conclusion last summer with a move to Mourinho's Roma looking very likely, but this season he has really proved to be a crucial player for the Gunners after staying on at the club.
Arteta’s side is seriously weak when the Swiss international is not available for selection. And this is not only due to the shortages in the midfield, but also due to a lack of quality in the middle of the park.
Without him, Thomas Partey is the only experienced midfielder in the team. Mohamed Elneny has always been considered a fringe player, and Albert Sambi Lokonga still needs time to mature.
Arsenal will no doubt look to strengthen in future transfer windows, meaning Edu could be financially strained. Keeping Xhaka at the club would prevent the Gunners from needing to add multiple midfield signings to the winner and summer shopping list.
But not only does keeping the 29-year-old at the club help ease the stress in the aforementioned transfer windows, but it also means that Arsenal keep their most experienced player at the club. Despite the backlash he has received from fans in the past, Xhaka brings a sense of leadership and authority to the midfield, which is evident when is missing from the team, as the Gunners seem to struggle from his absence.
The new no.8 role adopted for Xhaka in Arteta’s team has enhanced the Swiss international’s performances. The recent Arsenal success has highlighted that it is a blessing in disguise the Gunners opted against selling him to Mourinho’s Roma.
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