Arsenal: 5 players with important contract situations to sort out

Granit Xhaka

An interesting one, to say the least.

What do Arsenal do with Granit Xhaka? In terms of the most improved players in this squad for this season, Xhaka sits near the very top. Claims of him being a ‘changed man’ in previous times have almost always been short-lived, but with the post-Burnley Xhaka it truly feels like he’s turned a corner.

Coming up to two years left to run on his deal, do Arsenal reward that renaissance with a long-term stay in the engine room or do they cash in amid rumours of the Swiss wanting to return to the Bundesliga?

At 28 years old, it’s a decision that will have been heavily discussed.

There is another option though, where Arteta sees it fit to hand Xhaka another shorter extension, perhaps just the single year, meaning he can stay and either play in the Champions League or be part of the squad that battles to return to it next year, and then move back to Germany.

Would Xhaka accept such terms? Arteta will have outlined his plan to the midfielder when he convinced him to stay with the club in the aftermath of his outburst, with some form of timeline put in place for the final years of his deal.

It would be a real shock to see him leave in the summer, yet Arteta will know for the brand of football he wishes to play an upgrade in that position is necessary.