Since the Euros ended, we have heard virtually nothing about the much-heralded transfer of Granit Xhaka to Roma, and other than my much-maligned opinion that Xhaka would not be leaving Arsenal this summer, the rumours appeared to have dried up.
But the reason for this appears to have been revealed today by CorriereDelloSport, who has proclaimed that Roma still want the Swiss captain, and apparently Xhaka wants Roma, but Mikel Arteta refuses to budge on the asking price of 20 million.
The Italian report says…..
Xhaka wants Roma, but Arsenal does not lower the demands
There will be at least three purchases, if all goes as planned in the technical program. The first is obviously Granit Xhaka, who spends his vacation days waiting for the right call from his agent. The story is clear: Xhaka has promised himself to Roma and has made an agreement with Mourinho two months ago, and has also made his wishes to Arsenal. MHe can’t do any more and the rest depends on the clubs. At the moment the agreement is far away, because Rome does not intend to pay 20 million. Xhaka is the director who would complete the midfield, adding intelligence and geometry, perfect for the 4-2-3-1. Tiago Pinto will try to defer the payment, as has already happened with Rui Patricio, to postpone the investment for better times. But on this point it seems that Arsenal do not hear us.
It is very well-known that Roma, like a lot of clubs, are trying to secure loans for incoming players rather than pay cash outright, so they have to be very frugal in the market.
Secondly, Xhaka still has two years remaining on his contract, so Arsenal are under no pressure to let their most consistent midfielder from last season leave, and are just as likely to be able to sell him for a reasonable price next summer.
Of course my personal view is that Xhaka would not want to leave the Gunners at the moment anyway as he would have to cause upheaval to his wife who is looking after a 3-month old baby and a 2 year-old toddler. I doubt she would relish moving to another new country right now…
So, I stick to my conviction that Xhaka is not going anywhere this summer…
Trying to get a seaoned international who had a great euro’s for peanuts. Get stuffed
Why aren’t the buyers lining up for him then?
You never know! We only read what the papers write. For all you know, many clubs could be watching the developments with interest.
It could also be because the player seems bent on working with Mourinho and no one else
👍 👍 👍 Arsenal should stick to their guns.
Too many players who need to move on but still around.
These are Kia Joorabchan players the corrupt Edu brought in including Cedric and Willian. Edu is still conniving to bring in Neves, Neto and Coutinho in, all Kia players
Arsenal beware of corrupt Edu.
I am not sure. Remember that joorabchian went out in the press explaining how much MA badly wanted Willian. Even if maybe joorabchian exaggerated. Otherwise, i hope we are not on countinho. Would be a disaster. Even if not, that’s too risky IMO. Too injury prone. We don’t need him
This Xhaka deal will go a long way repairing Arsenal long lost reputation in the transfer market, if we should witty under pressure and sell Xhaka below the price we want no team will take us serious again buying from us, how can we sell a player of Xhaka caliber for less than $30m even with the performance he put in at the Euros, if it where to be is the will be quoting $50m plus base on the performance at the euros.
For once I want Arsenal to stick the boot in either they pay up or Xhaka returns to pre-season training.
We paid $50m for Ben White which is the asking price of Brighton, we Benfica what they want for their players, report says we have Lonkonga after paying the asking price by Anderlect, Ruben Neves, Bissonga etc won’t come to us unless we pay their asking price also.
So AS Roma either pay up or shut up
Only one thing determines a players actual price…what the highest bidder is willing to pay
Fair point. But he is right that arsenal seemed very bad on negotiations recently. Look at mkhitaryan sold for zero. Zero ! I could not understand that. We should have least by principle sell him 1.5. Did we get runarsson for free ?! Were other teams around trying to steal him from us ??? No, even the last french team standed firm at 1.8m for this unproven guy that was not even 1st choice there !! And we let Mkhitaryan go for free. We also PAID out Mustafi to leave while we could have sell him for 5m last summer. I am sure we could have made more money on many occasions but our situation does not help (former big team not really competing anymore for trophies but having one of the highest budget)
Johnze, Mhikatarian apparently paid £500,000 to buy his contract out, so not “free”.
let me get this straight, we paid around 35M for this hump, he vastly underachieves for the better part of his term here, until Arteta introduces the most mind-numbing tactical philosophy that caters to his shopping cart with 3 wheels approach to football, then he has two glorious plays in the 2nd half of one Euro match and somehow his value should be on par or more when he’s multiple years older and the hope of advancement has long since gone…how rich…there’s a reason Roma’s haggling on price because no one else has come a calling even at what some of you believe is a steal of a price
£20m would still be a bargain. Personally I’d be surprised if Xhaka were still here come the end of the window but if no reasonable offer is made, better to keep than sell for sofa change.
And you think a year from now we’ll get more or less sofa change for him? Or would you rather we run down another contract?
But we would be saving money on buying another DM who could require some time to settle in
Moreover if Xhaka helps us into Europe, we should recover whatever is lost by any drop in his market value 12 months hence.
AND CONTINUE SUFFERING HIS DAMAGE TO THE TEAM IN THE MEANTIME? NO THANKS!
I’m sorry but I don’t get the connection between Inter ( Chinese owners) and Roma which are owned by an American billionaire?
Roma already getting a bargin, I’d even take half now half next Summer.
Otherwise their offer is a joke.
If Xhaka & agent want move bad enough let them make up the difference; lower their wage demands and agent fee.
Pay the amount or quit calling, be ruthless and stop getting ripped off. Bad enough Brighton whipping club at negotiating table
LETS CUT TO THE CHASE AD Pat.
Neither you nor PATRICK(who disagrees with your view) nor any Gooner knows for certain whether tortoise Xhaka will, mercifully, depart our club but we can only hope and pray he goes at whatever fee. If he does as I still expect, I promise not to gloat at you being wrong, as you so enjoyed doing when you thought I was wrong on him. I careONLY that he DOES LEAVE!
You are wrong Pat, its just a game of who blinks first. Deal for xhaka is done, Maureen wants him to go, a deal will be done. Plus Arsenal cant get his replacement yet because they are struggling to agree a fee for which ever choice they get.