Arsenal: 12 Granit Xhaka transfer replacements

This is set up to be a summer transfer window like no other at Arsenal. Fans were teased with the prospect of a mass overhaul with complete and utter remodeling although seeing it in full motion truly runs it home. Granit Xhaka looks like the next on the chopping block and replacing him becomes of paramount importance.

Xhaka has received more criticism than any other player of the Emirates era. Shkodran Mustafi can fall into that category and runs him close, but there has been no figure quite as divisive. And this coming off the back of his best season in red and white.

Arsenal announced their candidates for Player of the Season and Xhaka was unfairly overlooked. He’s by no means deserving of winning, but for a top five he absolutely warrants a mention.

But Arsenal can’t keep sitting on their hands; can’t be afraid to take the steps this club have avoided doing for the past five years. The Swiss is a non-indispensable member of this squad, with two years left on his deal and due to turn 29 later this year. If there comes an opportunity to sell such a player, you take it.

Arsenal: 12 Granit Xhaka transfer replacements for Mikel Arteta in the summer transfer window to partner Thomas Partey

Not doing so has crippled the side and getting a fee for him, whether it be £20m or more, is an invitation to grow. This is a rebuild and there is no better starting point.

For every starting point there needs to be a first step, and that is replacing the midfielder in the side. A task easier said than done. For all his flaws, Xhaka has multiple positive attributes.

Where Mikel Arteta goes from here will be interesting (or frightening). Convincing him to stay in the 2019/20 winter window will have been done with the openness to allow him to leave in this summer, so there has been plenty of time to source his replacement. We hope.

Finding fluidity in the 4-2-3-1, who comes in in his stead could either be a like-for-like option or a different profile to evolve from a goal-shy midfield. There is scope to be more dynamic and progressive carrying the ball as opposed to just distributing it. Whoever comes in doesn’t have to be Xhaka 2.0. Thomas Partey was signed with a plan in mind and that will surely have been thought of for when Xhaka leaves.

Should fans trust those in charge to effectively distribute their finances is another matter. The recruitment at Arsenal over the years has been woeful, so too the handling of contracts, and in such an integral area of the pitch the right acquisition must be made.

Who, though?

All stats courtesy of fbref*

Ibrahim Sangare – PSV Eindhoven

Looking at an option who isn’t cut from the Xhaka cloth, Ibrahim Sangare would constitute and altered approach that could unlock Partey and complement him.

The Ivorian left Toulouse last season following the Ligue 1 club’s relegation from the top-flight, making the switch to PSV Eindhoven and picking up from where he left off.

Not the ilk of progressive passer that Xhaka is, Sangare is the epitome of a midfield destroyer. Compared across the top five European leagues for central midfielders, he sits in the 97th percentile or above for no less than tackles, interceptions, blocks, clearances and aerials won. His defensive statistics are utterly astounding. His tackling numbers are equally mesmeric.

Standing at 6’3″ tall, his frame is both imposing and well structured, but that doesn’t infer a lack of ability on the ball. He sits in the 90th percentile for both dribbles completed and players dribbled past, which is a testament to his press resistance and willingness to drive. He isn’t the most technically gifted, however.

From his defensive role, which sits on the right side of PSV’s system although he operated on the left of central midfield for Toulouse, he makes 0.16 defensive actions per 90 (94th percentile) that lead to a shot. This accounts for both deep tackles that can spring his side into a counter attack as well as winning the ball back high up the pitch to sustain pressure. Arsenal have struggled with that all season.

The issue is at 23 years old and under contract at PSV until 2025, he won’t come cheap, nor are his xG or xA anywhere near enticing. Yet if Arsenal want to build a midfield to frighten opponents and add physicality, he’s their man.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa – Fulham

Premier League experience, anyone?

Fulham have been woeful this season. Extremely poor across the board and boasting a plethora of attacking options who contributed to a pitiful 27 goals in 38 outings. One can only wonder what Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s statistics would have looked like with real firepower in front of him.

And yet, even without a 20-goal striker, he still comes out of the 2020/21 as their POTS. Understandably, when it comes to attacking output he suffers since his shooting and passing are all lacking. Where he excels is in his carries, sitting in the 97th and 98th percentiles respectively for successful dribbles that lead to a shot and successful dribbles that lead to a goal. If looking at Xhaka, there is no comparison as one flourishes carrying the ball into the final third and the other laying it off.

Defensively Anguissa still stacks up well with more than admirable tackles and interceptions numbers, but as a purely visual operator he is someone who excites. Always seeking to play through the thirds, his skill doesn’t come across as clunky in what is a generally quite technically lacking Fulham side, even having his own trademark Anguissa flick which he’s implemented all season long.

As for availability, he is an easy target to acquire. Fulham have gone down and Anguissa will leave west London with his deal ending in 2023 (with an optional extra year) for a fee that won’t break the bank.

Fabian Ruiz – Napoli

What is Fabian Ruiz? He’s become something of an enigma as sometimes he’s the talk of the town while the next week Napoli fans are slating him to the hills and wishing they signed Lucas Torreira.

This season has been an interesting one for the Spaniard who started out the campaign alongside Tiémoué Bakayoko, an immobile and nonathletic midfielder who failed to form an effective partnership together.

Diego Demme then joined him in the double pivot and Ruiz began to take off. Funnily enough it’s gone back to Bakayoko now and with pace in front a balance has been struck. And when it is, Ruiz can come alive.

He is a feeder in every way. His left foot (could be very crucial to Arteta) had been used in an interesting way under Gennaro Gattuso this season as he lines up on the right of a 4-2-3-1 double pivot, where he can feed inverted wingers making infield runs. The Spaniard’s eye for a pass is exquisite as demonstrated by 3.96 shot creating actions per 90 (95th percentile), while when the angles aren’t on he can carry the ball with equal effect.

Great range of passe has him sitting in the 90th percentile for progressive passes, while what can suit Arsenal is his technical ability in tight areas. He works close-knit triangles like it’s on the training ground.

Two years left on his deal doesn’t mean he won’t come cheap, but with Napoli having a change of manager new ideas may open the door for a sale. What is a concern, however, is his form can dip and dive. He has to have the right bodies around and in front of him. Ideally, pace.

Denis Zakaria – Borussia Mönchengladbach

A wanted man. It appears Denis Zakaria’s time is up at Borussia Monchengladbach.

It’s not been the best of seasons at Monchengladbach, for anyone, as Marco Rose announced with the season underway and it severely impacted performances. For Zakaria, he battled his way back from a horrible long-term injury at the start of the season, missing close to a year of action before making his return.

Torrid knee problems have limited his output this season to only 15 Bundesliga starts and he hasn’t look anywhere near his best. His passing numbers are still very respectable with reassuring completion rates at all lengths, but there hasn’t been the usual No. 6 capabilities with dashes of No. 8 thrown in.

On song, he’s among the best young(ish) holding midfielders in Europe. From a defensive standpoint he covers the spaces behind the forwards, breaking up play and bursting into life to start swift breaks, just as the German side like. He also likes dropping in between the central defenders to create multiple lanes of attack, which would open up Partey slightly advanced on the angle he and Xhaka create.

Should they alter in their roles, then the Swiss’ (replacing countryman with countryman) brutal ball carrying ability can come to the fore. It’s an interesting marauding style he has that doesn’t look like it should work as well as it does. He would add significantly more pace than Xhaka, not that anyone can be much slower.

With just a year left on his deal he’s available for a measly €20m, which is pittance for the 24-year-old. It’s just very tough to look past form and injuries. Arsenal don’t need that.

James Ward-Prowse – Southampton

A left-field, yet interesting option.

The natural reaction is that if Arsenal are to aim high and look at the upper echelons of the Premier League table, they need to be aiming for more than James Ward-Prowse.

Suitability wise, he is a right footer who needs to be on that side of the pitch but for a team horribly lacking in set piece delivery and eye-of-the-needle distribution from deep, the England international has all that in his locker.

There are few more accomplished passers in Europe, let alone the Premier League, than the 25-year-old. His dead ball delivery – which includes from corners! – is second to none (99th percentile). A workhorse in midfield, he has just completed a staggering new English top-flight record of completing every minute of every fixture for the second season running. It can not be understated just how unbelievable this is.

If Arsenal want to add goals he brings that to the part(e)y, too. His xG and xA are supported strongly by his set pieces but his shooting overall is incredibly accurate with a 44.8% on target percentage (94th percentile). With Willian likely to leave and David Luiz gone, Arsenal will need a free-kick specialist! Ha….ha….

An interesting option, indeed. Ward-Prowse’s overall game is unfairly overlooked, and he would add what Arsenal lack, yet he isn’t the technically astute midfielder that Arteta will be looking for. Still, hugely underrated and could work as a right-sided No. 8 in a 4-3-3.

Eduardo Camavinga – Rennes

A name that has somehow cropped up despite the astronomical asking price and continent-wide clamour for his signature is Eduardo Camavinga.

Arsenal are said to be keen (who isn’t?) on the Frenchman who is the outstanding young talent in world football. At just 18 years old, his already eye-catching talent is backed up by a clear vision of just how much better he can be.

Operating as a defensive midfielder on the left side, for someone of his frame he boasts immense tackling ability as a screen in front of the back four. His tackles and interceptions have him in the top 86th percentile, which take away from his tackling ability on its own which, in all three thirds of the pitch, has him in the 94th and above. Across Europe there are few better.

He would add ball retention and balance on the left of a pivot, where his wand of a left foot can pick out passes at all ranges. Camavinga is someone who just makes the game look easy.

The standout feature across his skillset is the timing with which he makes decisions. Whether it’s a cross-field pass into space or the drop of a shoulder to burst through the lines, he cuts the figure of a seasoned professional, not a kid. Such vision and natural understanding is a rarity.

Less of a progressive passer and more a carrier, his two-footedness and exceptional close control makes him a supreme dribbler, sitting in the 94th percentile for completed dribbles and carries into the final third.

He is linked but it would force KSE to take out a 4535th loan to buy him. He is an Arsenal fan, mind you, but the likelihood is slim at best. Yet if he did, he’d transform this team.

Romain Faivre – Brest

Staying with left footers, Romain Faivre may not stick out as the quintessential left-sided central midfielder. Why? Because he doesn’t actually play there.

Spanner in the works?

The Brest forward lines up on either wing, either operating as an inverted option on the right or a deeper option on the left, in either case given the freedom to drift infield. What makes this option have the potential is that Faivre does most of his finest work in central areas. Sometimes utilised as the No. 10, he thrives on picking the ball up from deep and single-handedly opening passing lanes with immaculate close control. His first touch is divine and with the ball at his feet he resembles Riyad Mahrez in full flow. Glue on his feet.

Being lightning quick, his acceleration from receiving the ball and weight of touch opens the pitch for progression, where he either carries at pace (91st percentile for completed dribbles and 98th percentile for carries into the final third) or feeds to ball forward (77th percentile for progressive passing). Those progressive passing stats are very high for those who play as ‘wingers’, showcasing his love of dropping deep.

What also opens the door for a central role – perhaps best on the left of a midfield three – is his defensive actions, primarily those that come in his own third, as those elsewhere can miscue the data. Sitting in the top 97th percentile for tackles won per 90, he also averages 0.78 in the defensive third, placing him in the 85th percentile. Brest are a majorly dreadful side and accrue very little possession, thus his obligation to defend has seen this area improve.

Averaging 4.67 SCA (shot creating actions) per 90 minutes – helped by incredible dead ball ability – he sticks out like a sore thumb in a Brest side that finished 17th in Ligue 1 and one point from relegation.

His talent is unquestionable and he’s broke into the French Under-21 side, and even though his deal runs until 2025, cash-strapped Ligue 1 clubs will welcome cash injections wherever they can come.

Yves Bissouma – Brighton

The primary argument against Arsenal signing Yves Bissouma is that he is too similar to Thomas Partey.

He isn’t. If anything, Partey was signed as an upgrade on Xhaka, with Bissouma arriving being the player who can cover more ground defensively and free the Ghanaian to be more box-to-box.

Brighton’s Malian midfielder is the man to complement Partey, not mimic him. The dynamic created with Xhaka has been one of angles and balance, with him and Partey working on a diagonal at times during matches. They provide a passing option for one another to ensure any press can be evaded, with a good example of that being Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal against Burnley (not the own goal).

What Arsenal fail to do is sustain pressure. Attacks break down for a number of reasons, but retaining the ball in the final third is key among it. With a pivot of Bissouma and Partey, two excellent sweepers in counter-attacks and in duels, there becomes a platform to pin sides back.

Of course, it’s impossible to mention Bissouma without listing his otherworldly defensive statistics. No midfielder in the Premier League made more tackles than his 104, while he also ranks fourth in the division last season for interceptions. He presses the ball with intent and speed – the latter about his pace being a weirdly underrated trait of his – and upon breaking the press has the technique to burst out of defence and feed forward players.

He knows his role isn’t in the final third and it doesn’t bother him. Breaking up play, winning the ball back and moving possession on to those with attacking threat (best mate Nicolas Pepe would help there) is his forte.

It’s a partnership that would frighten, destroy and solidify, while also opening Partey to play slightly more advanced on the right as, despite being right-footed, Bissouma is totally at ease on the left.

John McGinn – Aston Villa

Who is Aston Villa’s most important player? Jack……McGinn? John Grealish?

Jack Grealish’s absence through injury at the beginning of the year had an immediate impact on the club’s results, but for all the losses in the final third, take John McGinn out of the side and the Villans lose all their control and tempo dictation.

What Arteta desires in all of his players, not just his midfielders, is the idea of total football. That in any given situation they can pick up the positions of a teammate and hold the fort. McGinn may not be a glamorous name but he’s someone who can operate across the midfield, whether deeper in front of the back four, in a double pivot alongside a destroyer (usually Douglas Luiz) or more advanced where his underappreciated vision can come into effect. In 37 Premier League outings he has three goals and six assists.

Creatively is where the Scotsman stands out, sitting in the 82nd percentile for SCA across Europe, with his dribbling ability also ranking him in similar numbers. Statistically not excelling in any one department, it is his all-round skillset and comfort in various shapes and opposition approaches that could work for Arsenal. Fans needn’t be reminded when Villa tore the Gunners to shreds at the Emirates with him, Grealish, Ross Barkley and Ollie Watkins interchanging with devastating effect. Not the quickest, he can still play in pacey teams.

If Arteta wants to move to a 4-3-3 then he can be the left-sided No. 8, while as the double pivot he is most used to he has a calmness in and out of possession that make him endearing.

Is he a marquee, tip-your-hat-to-KSE signing? Arguably not. What he is, however, is very underrated. Villa are not the same team without him.

Teun Koopmeiners – AZ Alkmaar

A 23-year-old being captain? You don’t get to that stage so quickly without a little something about you. Thus, welcome Teun Koopmeiners, a Dutchman with everything Arsenal could want in a midfielder.

Primarily, goals.

He doesn’t play like someone who is 23 (possibly because he also doesn’t look it) with a wand of a left foot and an experienced, almost Nemanja Matic-esque manner with which he covers the ground. And yes, that does mean he isn’t especially quick.

However he more than makes up for that with delivery better than a Game of Thrones raven, sitting in the 95th percentile for through balls and in the 99th percentile for xA.

While he’s grabbed a healthy 15 Eredivisie goals this season, nine of them came from the penalty spot, however, this is someone who has played centre-back numerous times this season as well. In some ways he is reminiscent of the Xhaka mould, only faster speed of thought in releasing the ball, while he does resemble fellow countryman Kevin Strootman during his prime at Roma when he was a deadly box-to-box operator.

With two years left on his deal, this is prime buying time. If he was quicker, as Arsenal should be looking for dynamism and mobility in midfield, he’d be a shoo-in.

Florian Neuhaus – Borussia Mönchengladbach

How wonderful it would be to have prime Santi Cazorla back in the Arsenal midfield? The stuff of dreams. The Spaniard can never be replaced but there are those with an air of The Magician about them. Funnily enough, one of those is over at Xhaka’s former club.

Florian Neuhaus has got to be up there among the prime midfield targets. This is a player suited to Arsenal’s needs and with precious few flaws to his game. He is a special talent and Liverpool are already eyeing him up as their Georginio Wijnaldum replacement. Here’s why.

Neuhaus is smart. Clever in every action, prior to the receiving the ball, before releasing the ball and upon shifting possession. Picking up the ball from deep his body shape is always lined up for the half-turn, where he boasts the inventiveness to pick out a pass from any range. No ball is out of bounds for him whether through a body of opposition players or lofted over.

Operating on the left side of a midfield pair, the 24-year-old racks up an npxG+xA of 0.23, largely coming from his well-timed support in attack either with the occasional run into the box or picking up possession on the edge of the 18-yard area where has a penchant for shooting.

As far as building out, he averages 5.83 progressive passes per 90 (86th percentile) and 0.3 through balls (93rd percentile) but it’s his incredible composure under pressure which make him a line breaking master. Such calmness and neat trickery means he can bypass the press with the ball at his feet or seek out a teammate with precision, making 10.82 passes under pressure on average which sits him in the 95th percentile.

He has no glaring weaknesses. Could he be faster? Yes, but so could Cazorla and that never severely hampered him. The architect of all the good Mönchengladbach do, Neuhaus and the Spaniard are not direct comparisons but there are unmistakable similarities in the way they can weave their way out of tight corners with a flick or pass.

This lad is an immense talent. One only getting better. Liverpool want him, so move quick, Arsenal.

Manuel Locatelli – Sassuolo

Last up on the list is Manuel Locatelli, a statistician’s dream. His distribution numbers are absurd.

When the world calls for a deep-lying playmaker, the Italian answers. And no, not Marco Veratti, this one is very different.

With Locatelli, it’s a case of give him the ball and let him perform. Like handing the batons to the conductor of an orchestra, the 23-year-old will govern those in front of him with exquisite, almost effortless control. Receiving the ball on the half turn, the speed and ease with which he can dodge a tackle, lift his head up and spot a teammate is remarkable.

Whether cross-field into feet or down the line into space, he sits in the 96th percentile or above for completed passes, total passing distance, progressive passes, progressive passing distance and passes into the final third (this is 8.79 per 90 and worthy of a 98th percentile).

They’re numbers that make forward players sing.

But this isn’t just sitting deep and finding a man. Locatelli picks the right passes, those that will cause the most harm. Those that help Sassuolo score. His 2.75 SCA per 90 is in the mid-80’s with the vast majority coming in live action.

Being part of a double pivot dictates that he must defend, and he can do that too. He’s not rapid by any means, nor is he slow despite being over six foot, yet his intelligence is key to seeing him rarely ever be dribbled past (76th), block shots (88th) and tackle high up the pitch (85th). The latter of those comes back to the point made about Arsenal struggling to maintain pressure in matches. It’s very important.

If assuming possession in his own third or around the halfway line, he isn’t afraid to move with possession if angles are cut off and is in the upper echelon of midfielders for carrying the ball (96th percentile).

Xhaka has the ability to control matches for Arsenal. He won’t grab the game by the scruff of the neck but he helps form the stable foundations for his side to build on. If Arteta does want someone to perform a similar role, but better, then this is the upgrade for him.

Locatelli is quite magnificent and Italy’s secret weapon in this summer’s European Championships. Were he to join Arsenal (sadly Juventus are favourites), he’d be only the club’s fourth Italian in history. Two of those were goalkeepers. Funny, that.

Anyway, yes, please.