Granit Xhaka has been scouted heavily by Arsenal and is reportedly being considered as their top summer transfer target. The Gunners have already made their opening bid in an effort to wrap up the deal before the transfer window opens at the end of the season.
The Swiss midfielder has long been linked with a move to both Arsenal and Liverpool, and it looks like the Gunners have already made the first move to acquire the 23-year-old. Arsenal have made a £24 million bid for Xhaka to his Bundesliga employers Borussia Monchengladbach, according to the Mirror.
Monchengladbach have resigned themselves to losing Xhaka this summer, especially after the player himself revealed that it was his dream to play in the Premier League. The German club are hoping to coax a transfer fee of at least £32 million out of Arsenal, who remain confident that they can reach an agreement over the player.
Xhaka an improvement on Coquelin, Cazorla and Ramsey
Arsenal and Arsene Wenger have long been criticized for not investing in a top class holding midfielder even though Francis Coquelin has put in some good performances in that position over the past couple of seasons. However, the Frenchman remains short of being the best available option and Arsenal need the cream of the crop to challenge for the Premier League title.
The matrix below (courtesy of Squawka) shows that Xhaka compares favourably to Coquelin, Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey in some key areas:
Midfield boost for Arsenal
Reinforcing central midfield is a top priority for Arsenal this summer, with age catching up with the likes of Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Mathieu Flamini. Each of them is set to depart from the club in the summer upon the expiry of their respective contracts.
In this regard, Arsene Wenger has already invested in Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny who has impressed for the Gunners so far. Xhaka will be another good addition given his skill, international experience, resilience and leadership qualities.
