Mikel Arteta’s first full season was a quite poor one at Arsenal.
The Gunners finished eighth and failed to win a trophy.
Remember, Arsenal began that season on the back of beating Manchester City and Chelsea en route to winning the FA Cup, and a victory over Liverpool shortly after won them the Community Shield.
So to finish eighth last season and fail to qualify for the Champions League was a tad underwhelming.
This time around, any Arsenal supporter who wanted the Spaniard gone at the end of last term will have surely been converted.
That’s because the North Londoners are very solid defensively and, more importantly, major favourites to finish within the Premier League’s top four.
He has undeniably won over a lot of supporters this season but, by the same token, he might also lose some of the fanbase if a transfer rumour is true.
Peanuts
Granit Xhaka has been one of Arsenal’s best players during the second half of the campaign.
Yes, he picked up another silly red card in a League Cup semi-final defeat by Liverpool but, for the most part, he has been truly exceptional in Arteta’s midfield.
However, Gazzetta Dello Sport reported on Friday that Arsenal are willing to sell the Switzerland international for as little as £15 million.
Say what you like about Xhaka, but a 29-year-old as good as him, and in the prime of his career, has to be worth much more than a paltry £15 million and if that’s the selling price, well some of the fanbase could – and should – criticise Arteta.
Xhaka isn’t Patrick Vieira, but he is a vital cog in this Arsenal machine and selling him for peanuts is sure to upset some supporters, if it does happens.
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