Arsenal: Potential 2017/18 starting XI without Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez

Granit Xhaka

I can’t quite agree with the notion that Granit Xhaka has been a flop during his rookie Premier League season. He has not lived up to his £35m price tag but moving forward I believe Xhaka will become an incredibly important piece of the Arsenal puzzle.

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Plenty has been said regarding the Swiss international’s rash disciplinary record, his tackling – both of which need to improve – and the fact that he is not N’Golo Kante.

The truth of the matter is, Arsenal bought Xhaka for his distribution skills, his ability to take the ball from the central defenders and begin attacks. He is not comparable to N’Golo Kante, but then again, no one is. Kante is a bundle of energy who contributes to both facets of the game. Xhaka is the anchor in midfield who gives others the freedom to attack.

We may have a completely different take on the Kante Xhaka debate in a couple of years time, but for now, let’s hope that Xhaka develops into the elite game manager that we all want him to be.