Arsenal and Granit Xhaka: Is change in role enough?

There has been plenty of talk about a potential role change for Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka next season. But if he is to deliver on his £35 million price tag, is a change in role enough?

When Arsenal signed Granit Xhaka in the summer of 2016, he was the most expensive central midfielder in the history of the Premier League. Players like Mesut Ozil and Kevin de Bruyne had been signed for more, but in terms of a true central midfielder, Xhaka was the most expensive in the history of league, for a short period.

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Later that summer, Paul Pogba would overtake him, becoming the world’s most expensive player. And then, more recently, the likes of Nemanja Matic, Fabinho and Naby Keita, and Fred and have matched or bettered his fee. But that does not negate the significance of the Xhaka price tag. He was not cheap.

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And with expense comes expectation. Let’s be honest here, Xhaka, by price alone, was expected to be one of the very best central midfielders in the Premier League. He’s not even the best central midfielder at his own team. Is he in the top 20 in the league? Maybe. Maybe. But that is not what Arsenal were hoping for when they signed him. They were hoping for a truly world class central midfielder. It’s fair to say that they haven’t got one.

Now, that is not all Xhaka’s fault. While his play at times has simply not been good enough, he has been featured in a role that does not best suit his game, has often been left stranded by less positionally disciplined midfielders, and has looked exposed because he is fighting a lonely battle without much support from those around him. And next season, it seems as if his role is set to change.

The arrival of Lucas Torreira will provide Xhaka with a midfield partner who boasts some real legs and energy, as well as a defensive-orientated game that will not desert him and leave him vulnerable to defending vast spaces, which is when he is at his worst.

Torreira will also sit at the base of the midfield, pushing Xhaka slightly higher up the pitch where his passing range is better used and his defensive shortcomings are hidden that bit better. Additionally, Xhaka is excellent at dictating the tempo of collective possession. This is his best asset, finding a nice balance between controlling the play and advancing it into more dangerous areas of the pitch.

With Torreira alongside him, Xhaka will be given the freedom to focus on his strengths on the ball, not try to overcome his weaknesses without it. Moreover, using the high-pressing system that Unai Emery wants to implement will create quick turnovers, loose balls and cracks in the opposition that Xhaka has the quality to exploit.

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But will this presumed new role be enough for Xhaka to realise the expectations that Arsenal held when they first signed him? Sure, he can be good in that role. He was actually good in the anchoring role for the final few months of last season, though no one would ever admit such a monstrous opinion. But can he be great? Or does he just need to play better? I have a feeling that this year we will find out if Xhaka can ever be something more or not.