Granit Xhaka is public enemy number one at Arsenal yet again.
The Gunners midfielder picked up a stupid red card in a Carabao Cup encounter at Liverpool in midweek.
It was Xhaka’s fifth red card but this time, it came as early as the 24th minute, which might even illustrate that the Switzerland international is evolving into an even bigger liability.
Discipline issues aside, Xhaka, despite his unpopularity, has been a brilliant midfielder for the North Londoners.
Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta have all heavily relied on him – and the fact Jose Mourinho wanted him last summer was another feather in the midfielder’s cap.
But there’s no denying that he’s a loose cannon – no pun intended – but if rumours are to be believed, Arsenal might be signing the striker equivalent of Xhaka.
Double trouble
According to the Brazil edition of Goal, the Emirates Stadium outfit are keen on signing 33-year-old former Chelsea hitman Diego Costa from Atletico Mineiro.
With 52 Premier League goals in 89 appearances for the West Londoners, Costa, who won a title under Mourinho, was lethal during his previous spell in England.
But, like Xhaka, he is also a bit nuts and Arsenal should be wary about having him and the Swiss in the same starting lineup.
According to Transfermarkt, Xhaka has missed 24 Arsenal and Borussia Monchengladbach outings through suspension since the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
And interestingly, Costa has been sidelined for an identical number of matches, for the same reason, in the same timeframe.
The Spain international received an eight-game ban for insulting a referee during an Atletico Madrid in 2019, and was also handed a three-match retrospective suspension for an altercation with Laurent Koscielny in 2015.
Costa is older now, but probably not a thousand times wiser and Arsenal signing him would be a risk.
However, with Mikel Arteta needing goals in the team, it just might be worth a punt.
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