Granit Xhaka has admitted that he is ‘happy’ Arsenal teammates Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale are absent for their international clash tomorrow.
The Switzerland international is gearing up for a friendly encounter with England at Wembley on Saturday.
Arsenal had four players called up by Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate but two of them are unavailable to face Xhaka.
Saka has returned a positive coronavirus test and Ramsdale is ruled out with a hip injury.
And Xhaka, a £30 million signing by Arsenal in 2016, has revealed to The Independent that he certainly isn’t disappointed that neither of his club teammates will play tomorrow.
He said: “Two of them are not playing tomorrow so it’s good because we know the quality they have. We’re happy that Saka and Aaron are not playing tomorrow.”
Xhaka will be dramatically less happy if both absences affect Arsenal’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
Okay so Saka could and probably will be available by the time club football resumes.
But there’s less optimism about Ramsdale, who already missed Arsenal’s victory over Aston Villa last weekend.
Bernd Leno is a reasonably good deputy but there’s no doubt that the former Sheffield United player has arguably been the Gunners’ best player this season and the sooner he’s back, the better for the North Londoners, who are fourth.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
