Granit Xhaka has reportedly taken a step closer to quitting Arsenal this summer.
The Swiss midfielder, a £35 million signing in 2016, has been heavily linked with a move to Jose Mourinho’s Roma in recent weeks.
Mourinho is said to be a big fan of the Arsenal star, who is earning £100,000 per week in North London.
And Calciomercato in Italy has this morning reported that an exit is getting ‘closer and closer’ and that the 28-year-old has given both Roma and Mourinho his word that he’ll be leaving.
It was reported this past weekend that Arsenal could get £12 million and Cengiz Under in a player-plus-cash arrangement for Xhaka, but the trail seems to have gone a little cold on that.
Mixed emotions
It goes without saying that Xhaka hasn’t exactly been Mr Popular during his five-year spell in North London.
Yes, he’s been a big player under Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta, but the fans haven’t been quite as enthusiastic about the former Borussia Monchengladbach star’s qualities as his current and former coaches.
Nevertheless, it’s vital Arsenal sign a quality replacement.
The Gunners are losing midfielders at an alarming rate, with Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard both leaving after loan spells, while Mohamed Elneny isn’t quite enough to step up to be a first-team regular.
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