Arsenal agree to cut-price Granit Xhaka transfer with Roma

Arsenal have caved in to the wishes of Granit Xhaka and Roma by accepting a cut-price fee for the Swiss midfielder in order to have the deal wrapped up in time for the beginning of the 2020 European Championships.

A day many yearned for has finally arrived. After five years in north London, Granit Xhaka is going to be leaving Arsenal Football Club. The fan revolt coinciding with a measure of fan adoration becomes no more relevant: the Swiss will not be here next season.

Love him or hate him – and it really does tend to fall into those categories for most – Roma are to seal his signature for a fee that most won’t be overly positive about. As per Chris Wheatley, the deal is imminent and Arsenal have agreed on a fee in the region of £16m. Perhaps less.

Originally holding out for over £22m, Roma were looking closer to £13m, and an agreement has been made somewhere in between on a five-year deal.

https://twitter.com/ChrisWheatley_/status/1402911609572540419

Arsenal agree to cut-price Granit Xhaka transfer with Roma as Mikel Arteta makes first sale of summer transfer window

Is he worth more than that? Yes he is. Xhaka may have his many limitations, but his importance to this team, his national team and the four managers he’s played under at Arsenal are an indication of his operative role within a functioning side. Jose Mourinho, who will be his new boss, feels the same.

However, nobody has any money. Other than the Premier League and PSG, it’s barren out there. Serie A is feeling the pinch too and Arsenal have decided to wrap this deal up early to start moving on. Xhaka will be 29 by next season, has two years left on his deal and, for all his better qualities, can be upgraded on. This midfield hasn’t succeeded in the league in those five years.

His legacy at Arsenal will be dictated by who follows him. Fail to recruit to fill the void he leaves and Xhaka will be earning hero status. All his most die hard fans will beat Mikel Arteta and the club vigorously with their newfound sticks.

This can also be just another sale, though. Bring in a young, hungry and dynamic option to lift the team and come Autumn his name won’t be uttered around the terraces. Can we trust Arteta and co to sign the right replacement? We have to. Or else we’re stuck in this cycle forever. Tip-toeing around the issue, it’s time for the leap.

Whoever comes in will, of course, cost more. Whether it’s Albert Sambi Lokonga on the cheap or Ruben Neves at the other end of the spectrum, the bodies who arrive in have to be the profile that improves the team. No sidesteps or Xhaka’s name will bubble back to the surface.

Off the back of his best season at the club, where he was reliable, determined, unquestionably important and having been convinced to stay 18 months ago, he can leave having given his all the to cause, no matter the limp collective outcome.

Time to move on. All the best, Granit.