Arsenal looking to extend Xhaka’s contract
Arsenal are now looking to hand fresh terms to their former captain Granit Xhaka, according to The Athletic.
It was previously reported that the Italian side AS Roma, who have been strongly linked with the Swiss international in the past few months, have failed to meet Arsenal’s valuation of the player.
Xhaka has two years left on his current deal and staying at the Emirates Stadium is looking like a probable outcome now. That will make the task of technical director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta a tad bit easier in a summer where they have plenty on their plates already.
The Gunners have acquired the services of Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and Ben White, and are believed to be looking to strengthen several other positions.
Granit Xhaka played more minutes in all competitions than any outfield player for Arsenal last season (3692). https://t.co/DNt6CtJVm5
— Orbinho (@Orbinho) July 30, 2021
After two underwhelming Premier League campaigns, having a fresh squad at the start of next season has become a necessity rather than a want.
The Gunners were willing to offload Xhaka to pursue another midfielder, had they received any suitable offer for him. But until now, they haven’t and the 28-year-old looks set to remain put, for the time being.
Things can rapidly change in the transfer market, however, and it won’t be beyond the realms of imagination that Roma pay up for the midfielder after he has penned fresh terms.
Whether it will be this year or a year later remains to be seen.
Xhaka has been a topic which has divided the fanbase since his arrival from German side Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer of 2016.
While some believe his performances are underrated and he’s crucial to the Gunners’ system, other believe that he is too ponderous to ever be a “true success” in the Premier League.
His importance could only have seen by the Gunners’ faithful, had he left the Emirates Stadium this summer.
In my honest personal opinion, I wanted the 28-year-old to leave. You cannot make a totally different puzzle if you keep using the same old pieces.
You need fresh pieces to have a new-look puzzle. And Arsenal desperately needed that this summer after two disappointing seasons.
Although landing Manuel Locatelli was ambitious and was always going to be difficult, the likes of Ruben Neves, Yves Bissouma and the more recently linked Bruno Guimarães, were achievable signings and would have made the team stylistically different to the team that has been insipid to say the least.
I believe it would have been crucial for the team, in putting the last two years behind and moving forward with more purpose.
Depressing if it’s true.
Unbelievable.
And apparently offering Bellerin a new contract now.
2 players who don’t even want to be at the club 🙄
Forget any more signings.
Absolute joke Brad!
Let’s wait and see.. I have no faith in the fraud of a manager we got. But will still support the team..
That “fraud” of a manager got the side playing well enough to have the second-best record in the league over the latter 2/3 of the season, second only to Man City, and ahead of United, Chelsea, etc.
But where did we finish? To brag about a run where we ended in 8th is embarrassing, lowest point in decades.
oh dear! Boasting about finishing in 8th place. How the mighty have fallen.
Very disappointed if this comes to fruition, thought it was best for both of parties to move on, he’s been a mainstay in our midfield since he joined and hasn’t lived up to what was expected of him since he joined 5 years ago
If so it will cement our status as a mid table team … how the once mighty Arsenal has fallen
Well, the fans who were shouting for AW’s dismissal from 2008 onwards, can now reap what they sowed – let’s hope MA can bring us back to the disgraceful level of top four, CL knockout stages and Cup wins!!!!
Wenger was the one who took us out of top 4 and despite getting 2 seasons and plenty of cash to bring us back, he failed.
How much cash did he get in those two seasons where he failed to get CL status, but won the fa cup and still didn’t give us the worst season in over two decades Anders?
In Wengers last 4 seasons, he was given a nett spend by our owners og more than 250 mil. Only Man C and man U had a higher nett spend.
In comparion our nett spend was more than double that of Liverpool and more than 5 times more than Spurs.
So with Wenger at the helm, we started a big slide, despite spending much more.
Unfortunately, those are the facts.
I suspect the new contract has more to do with maximising his transfer value rather than thinking he’s Gunner for life. I like the fact that Edu is pushing back on this one, it’s no secret that Arsenal has been an easy mark on outgoing transfers.
If no-one even wants to pay 18mil for him now then how exactly is this plan going to work out?
Or are clubs miraculously going to offer 30mil now? Or maybe next year when he’s older and slower?
Yeah how will that workout? When he turns 30 next season, who will pay anything for him then?
Allegedly we’re giving him payraise on his current 100k wages. Insanity if this comes to fruition.
There is little value to maximize. His age and wages mean any future fee will be small regardless of contract duration.
going on thirty, will be offered higher wages. that decreases his transfer value.
not to mention what is there to protect? He’s available for 20mill and had a good international tournament and Roma are STILL the only club in Europe that want him.
But they only want him for Monkey Nuts!
He’s 28. You give him a year or 2 extension. Sell him next year. He has qualities which is why Mourinho wants him at Roma, his last chance to prove his mettle as a top manager.
Likely this hard stance will force Roma and Inter for that matter to negotiate in good faith instead of trying to rob us. We’re getting quoted silly prices for players we want whilst they are trying to take our players (who played regularly) on the cheap. Either way it’s important or we face the same issue next year with players we want to sell.
Well this has depressed the hell out of me.🤬🦆
Kudos to my darling Arsenal. Xhaka still has a lot of points to prove. I cannot but think of his performance at the Euros, he was invincible.
Hopefully, a ploy to pressure Roma to cough up. Keeping Xhaka because nobody will pay a decent fee is one thing but a contract extension would be idiotic. Little to no upside and huge downside since we will be stuck his wages for 4 more years.
The Switzerland manager played him differently Arteta should play him the same way
I hope it’s a ploy to get more money because to extend his contract would be the most stupid decision ever. He would slow our game down and stunt any creative progress. Must be a prank.
How would we get more money exactly? Do you think clubs (that already don’t want him) will now offer even more?
Tongue in cheek. It cannot be true it’s a press prank.
😂 if it’s a prank, credit where credit is due haha
It is!
Really!!!!!! We are struggling to offload for 18 mil and he deserves a new contract 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Its better than watching a night at the apollo.
Apparently Bellerin is also in talks for a possible extension 😃
And Mustaffi and Kolasinac!!!!!!!!
Roma offered €12 + €3 add-ons!!
Arsenal board and coaches surely know whether Xhaka still wants to play for us or not, before offering a new contract
We can’t have another deliberate red card incident and errors from him this season, but he’ll be fantastic for Arteta’s system if he can fully focus and is supported by the fans
Really!!!!!!!!
Gai, I guess you are looking forward to seeing xhaka getting caught on the ball when pressed in our half, slow to release the ball, not driving into space, and commit unnecessary fouls due to his lack of mobility and rack up more yellow cards adding to his 42 yellow cards over his 5 seasons here and his guaranteed sending off at some point
We can minimize his errors by:
– Making him join the other Gunners as soon as possible for the training and pre-season matches
– Adding some preventive clauses on his new contract, to deter him from making an intentional neck grabbing incident and other errors
what’s the opposite of “say no more”? give me a W, give me a T, give me an F, what does that spell?!?
Xhaka needs to move on,but if offered new contract then God help us.
If he still likes to play for us, I’ll be very happy. We can’t replace too many players in one transfer window, because the new players need at least one season to adapt
Not a lot of ambition then GAI.
Gai
Fact is hard to accept by many fans. No good coach will change the crop of his team in a single window. I understand Xhaka has divided opinions in the past due to his many errors. But he still did better than most of our current DM last season. He needs to join the team for pre season in time to adapt and improve his game towards next season. He should be given more responsibility if he signs new contract.
Sylva Can’t you see Arteta is trying to buy a new team HIS TEAM
I think Arsenal is one massive global social experiment to see how far you can push people before they all become psychopathic serial killers.
I have no problem with him staying as long as the manager can find a way to make us win matches more often than not….i believe the manager should be allowed to select whatever player he deems necessary for us to succeed&be judged later based on performance
Spot on, mate.
Agree 100% Matthew…. remember the article asking us to back MA this season?
Well, here’s the first test and it seems to be falling on deaf ears – good on you GAI for sticking to your guns.
Ken, this is an opinion site and people all give their opinions but when the first whistle blows we all want to win and to do well. Opinion doesn’t decide if we do well, the games do.
So when, in your opinion Reggie, should you start supporting the players, manager and club?
It seems lately, that you have run all three down, despite the new season not even starting yet!!!
In fact, you haven’t supported the club since 2008 if my memory serves me well.
Of course this is a site designed to accommodate all opinions regarding The Arsenal – now I am very pleased that kronkie has shelled out a reported £80,000,000 so far on new players – I am very pleased that MA is building his own squad of players AND if he doesn’t rate anyone, he can do what he did with Ozil, Saliba, Mavs and Guendouzi can’t he?
The club is trying very hard to reach out to it’s fanbase, with new schemes, new incentives and excellent preseason ticket prices – still a loooong way to go of course, but the negativity exposed on JA, does not bode well for the upcoming season, with fans like yourself, who are determined, it seems, to slate every single thing the club does.
I’m not sure if kronkie, MA and the current squad of players will be successful, but one thing is for sure, I won’t be swearing and booing anyone after a few games, let alone before the season has even started….. my opinion and take on the current situation.
Ken, your comments are totally wrong, i have never done anything but support the team, wanting it to win every game when the whistle goes but like everyone (and surprisingly) including yourself we all have an opinion, i hope. Things are not right at the moment and if you or anyone are trying to allude differently then you are deluded, which i am sure you aren’t but dont knock someone who speaks out on reality on a site. That has absolutely nothing to do with support of a team while it is hopefully giving its all on the green stuff. I dont like the Status quo at the moment with obvious good reason and i wont go burying my head in the sand and say la la la la while my club is run so poorly. That does not mean i am not supporting or wanting to win. When Arteta, the way we play and Kranky show mw different, i will be the first to say they are getting it right and i look forwards to it.
good to keep in the fold , respected by the squad and could well be nice to have on the bench.
as to why others might pay more for him when he is older +slower , is that not the silliness that goes with wages? Willian blew his usa chances by demanding a wage increase , we gave silly contracts to ozil and auba when they clearly were not going to improve. Wages follow all players on transfer just about, it is nuts
That sounds good in theory but xhaka doesn’t seem like the type of person who would be happy to sit on the bench and play a bit part role like say elneny as he thinks very highly of himself.
What gives you any idea that MA would ever bench Xhaka?
So much for any chance of top 4, probably not top 6 either.
I’d say extend 3 years on about 180k to 200k per week.
So nobody wants Xhaka or Bellerin at even close to market value, so we extend them?
Add Willian to those 2 and some think that trio will lead us back to European football.
We repackage these 3 while clubs around us upgrade.
Anyone think Xhaka won’t be automatic selection still for Arteta?
Repeating the same mistakes and expecting different result comes to mind.
Expect same negative tactics as well; Xhaka incapable of quick, decisive, creativity in midfield. It will be the same static, predictable buildup and stagnation in 8th place.
At least Kronke’s still making millions, while club stagnates. Absolutely deflating before season even starts.
Depressing part is club had decent offers for Xhaka & Bellerin last Summer but Arteta talked them into staying.
Team remained in 8th place; actually ended season on a run to finish 8th, sadly true.
Now seems we can only garner peanuts for interest from 2 Italian clubs. Yet another bad decision of man management by an overwhelmed Arteta and Edu.
We know what we are doing, its all in the plan!!!!!!
it’s so depressing durand. The season is over before its begun. It’s turning out to be the exact same squad we had last season just a new shiny CB. A position that is not going to transform this dismal side. Awful times ahead I’m afraid. Kroenke out is the only way we get our Arsenal back. Arteta and Edu are just clowns and totally out of their depth.
What has Stan got to do with this. He had football people working to get us back to where we used to be and if those people after weighing the pro and con decide that Xhaka deserves a new contract, it is on them. This transfer period alone we have been linked to 2 £70m players which means he has given Edu and the coach a blank cheque after he paid our debt.
Trust the process , be positive stop all negativity, what a fab job Edu and Arteta are doing…😂😂😂. It won’t come as surprise when we see more comments and articles flowing in calling this a master stroke by the duo. If this sort of club dealings and last season results get you excited for next season then I have no words for you.
What about using the word SUPPORTER?
Now that’s something you might try, especially as this new season hasn’t even started yet… but hey hoy let’s just keep spouting the negatives, because that will, undoubtedly, carry us forward to the promised land😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
We cannot all be happy.. I am going to have a party if Xhaka extends.. we don’t have a better replacement in our ranks and to get a like for like will cost nothing less than 50mil.. it’s not Xhaka’s performance that is killing the team in fact if half the squad performs like him we would be a much stronger team.. watch our games without him last season and you will be scared.. the only Arsenal player that made the team of the season this warrior has faced the most disrespect for a footballer in modern times.. anyways I am happy and I am rooting for him.. by the way MA is still a joke.
This. If someone is willing to pay the going rate for him and we invest a little more in a younger player then fantastic. If they want him cheap, we should keep him. As to MA agree to disagree.
I’ve got to give it to Jose if he was just taking the piss all along and this was but a little good-bye FU gesture from a manager who clearly got under the fanbase’s skin, especially Wenger Loyalists, and who has likewise managed nearly every one of our traditional footballing rivals…maybe he concocted this somewhat elaborate ruse during his time with the Spuds, knowing full-well how Xhaka was such a totally divisive figure…if so, kudos…unfortunately, the only thing worse than this possibility, is if we get stuck with this sloth-like, 3-wheel shopping cart of a player
How about a new contract to stay away from Arsenal’s midfield? Everyone know’s he’s too slow and zero threat going forward. Perfect of Serie A.
Wenger played him all the time, Emery did it,
Arteta has done it, Mourinho wants him, he was a star at Euro 2020.
Maybe he isn’t so bad after all…
100%
I read fans saying this is a disaster but non has said or suggest what the club should do aside the contract being offered. Should the club sell him cheap because we fans don’t fancy him or release him from his contract.