Mark Lawrenson told Off the Ball that he doesn’t understand how ‘all of a sudden’ Granit Xhaka is going to be staying at Arsenal.
The BBC pundit pointed out how it seemed like the Arsenal midfielder was going to join Roma this summer.
Before and during Euro 2020, it was well-documented that Xhaka wanted a deal done for him to join Jose Mourinho in Rome.
But nothing really happened, in regards to the right fee being put on the table for his services, and now Xhaka has committed his future to the North London club.
Former Liverpool defender Lawrenson commented on that situation and why the Gunners are keeping hold of an ‘ordinary’ player.
“The midfield player Xhaka was going to Roma,” said Lawrenson. “Then all of a sudden somebody has decided why don’t we just give him another year at Arsenal?
“Xhaka’s like hit and miss at Arsenal. Yes, he was good in the Euros. But if you look at his form, playing for Arsenal, he is ordinary at best.
“So, I am thinking is the manager going ‘if I let him go, he might be good at Roma and maybe I will just keep him’.
“He just doesn’t sound convincing Arteta at all. I know he is a really, really nice bloke as well.”
It is fair to say that Xhaka has been like a marmite-like figure since his £35 million move to Arsenal in 2016 (BBC Sport).
There is a feeling that Xhaka has never really won over the Arsenal faithful and perhaps never will.
But Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery, Freddie Ljungberg for a brief period and now Arteta, have all selected him.
So, he must be popular within those four walls of Arsenal because of his character and how he leads by example.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
