Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal: 6 contracts expiring in 2024 to sort out

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal's English midfielder Bukayo Saka (L), Arsenal's Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard (2L) and Arsenal's German-born Portuguese defender Cedric Soares (2R) congratulate goalscorer Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium in London on March 13, 2022. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's English midfielder Bukayo Saka (L), Arsenal's Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard (2L) and Arsenal's German-born Portuguese defender Cedric Soares (2R) congratulate goalscorer Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium in London on March 13, 2022. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 13: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Leicester City at Emirates Stadium on March 13, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /

3. Granit Xhaka

It’s an interesting one.

The point remains that Arsenal can upgrade in the left-sided No. 8 position. The point also remains that Granit Xhaka is having a fine season for the club and hopes of securing a Champions League position, as well as being in with a shout in the first place, pay a large thanks to his contributions.

A lot will depend on what the Swiss midfielder wants. It continues to be reported that Roma will go back in for him in the summer, and while his switch to a position that by all accounts shouldn’t cater to his skillset has been impressively smooth, is that where he wants to be playing?

We won’t know how the discussions with him over the summer went until the coming one. It appeared for all the world as if he was leaving, and were it for a few more million offered he may well be lining up alongside Ainsley Maitland-Niles at Stadio Olimpico.

The opportunity for expansion is there. Arsenal can enter a new era in midfield. In an ideal world Arsenal would still make that new signing and keep Xhaka on for depth and rotation, but there is flat out no way in hell that the Swiss would get on board for that.

Even with the extension signed last summer, it feels like this team is moving away from Xhaka, even if he’s still fundamental to it.

Verdict: Sell

Continued on next page…

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