Manchester City and Liverpool have joined the race to sign Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka in light of his form in Euro 2020.
According to Transfermarketweb, Liverpool and Manchester City are among the clubs ready to hijack AS Roma’s deal to sign Granit Xhaka. The Arsenal midfielder is widely expected to leave the Emirates in the summer, as Mikel Arteta hopes to oversee a major squad overhaul.
Xhaka was initially expected to move to Roma, with new head coach Jose Mourinho interested in his services. However, the Giallorossi were having problems matching Arsenal’s price tag, which was followed by Xhaka’s impressive performances in Euro 2020. Indeed, the ex-Gladbach midfielder has played a starring role in Switzerland’s incredible campaign. He was the player of the match in the famous win over France in the Round of 16.
And Xhaka’s performances haven’t gone unnoticed either, with Liverpool and Manchester City now joining his pursuit. His vast experience in the Premier League seems to be an appealing factor for both parties, with the Reds, particularly on the hunt for a new midfielder after losing Georginio Wijnaldum.
Jurgen Klopp has been linked with several midfielders this summer, including Marcos Llorente. However, the Atletico Madrid star is expected to cost a fortune, which might be a problem in the current financial climate.
As for Manchester City, Pep Guardiola might be keen on adding a solid back-up for Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri. Xhaka is an ideal option given his ability to operate as an anchorman in midfield. His passing, ball-distribution goes hand to hand with Man City’s possession-based football.
At the same time, the Swiss international has the aggression that can be useful in Liverpool’s game under Klopp. However, it remains unlikely that Arsenal would want to offload their star player to a direct rival, especially for a cut-price.
The Gunners were initially holding out for a fee of €20 million, but the report from TMW suggests that they are now looking for somewhere around €25 million.
It seems Mikel Arteta is ready to move on from Xhaka one way or another, favouring his planned squad overhaul. The Spaniard is eyeing moves for multiple options, including Italy’s Manuel Locatelli, another player making a solid impression in the ongoing European Championship. As for Xhaka, it remains to be seen where the Swiss midfield general ends up.
Doubt