Arsenal star Granit Xhaka is closing in on his return to the Bundesliga, with Hertha Berlin emerging as the likely destination.
According to kicker, as relayed by Manuel Veth, Hertha Berlin are closing in on the capture of Granit Xhaka. The Arsenal midfielder is set to return to Bundesliga following a rough spell at the Emirates. It is believed that he is set to bring the experience and leadership to the table for the Bundesliga side, who are struggling at the bottom end of the league table.
Xhaka’s potential return to Germany wouldn’t come as a surprise, especially for the Arsenal supporters, who have had a feud with the midfielder earlier in the season. His current contract at the club expires in 2023, though it remains to be seen as to how much exactly Hertha will be willing to pay.
From a sporting perspective, however, Xhaka’s departure to Berlin could create further problems for Arsenal. The Gunners have recently hired Mikel Arteta as their new manager. And the Spaniard has a massive job in his hands of recovering from a disastrous start to the season.
But most importantly, he needs to rebuild this entire squad. Xhaka, to that end, might have been a crucial component, thanks to his experience and commitment. Not to mention, Dani Ceballos has struggled with injuries while Lucas Torreira hasn’t been able to make an impact either.
So essentially, Xhaka’s departure would force Arsenal to sign a new central midfielder in the upcoming January transfer window, which could be a strenuous task given they the fact that they also need a centre-back as well as a right-back.
Although the club officials have hinted that Arsenal are prepared to spend in January and provide Arteta with every resource he needs, Xhaka’s move to Berlin could unnecessarily make things much more difficult for the ex-Man City assistant coach.
From the midfielder’s perspective, however, a return to Bundesliga makes sense. As iterated earlier, Berlin are in a state of bother, having collected just 19 points from 17 matches so far. Players like Arne Maier and new signing Eduardo Lowen have failed to make an impact, forcing the club to over-rely on the services of Marko Grujic and Vladimir Darida.
Xhaka, to that end, would provide additional options for coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who has enjoyed a bright start to his new role at Hertha. He can utilise the Swiss international as an alternative for Maier and play him in a number six role, which would give the likes of Grujic and Darida more freedom going forward.
Having said that, they also need to be careful with Xhaka’s disciplinary record. And given his past incidents, he definitely shouldn’t be considered as a potential candidate for a leadership role at Hertha.
