Even though new coach Mikel Arteta started him on Thursday in Bournemouth for his grand premiere, Granit Xhaka plans to leave Arsenal. His agent claims to have reached an agreement with Hertha Berlin.
According to the British, German and German press, the return of the Swiss team vice-captain to the Bundesliga is no longer in doubt. Granit Xhaka is said to have told his teammates of his intention to leave the Gunners during the transfer window that opens on January 1. “We have also explained this choice to Arsenal executives and the coach,” said his agent Jose Noguera in the columns of the “Blick.”
Transferred from Mönchengladbach to Arsenal in 2016 for 40 million euros, Granit Xhaka (27) could return to Germany for 25 million euros. This is the figure formulated in writing by Hertha Berlin in the offer to Arsenal.
In Berlin, Granit Xhaka would join a club which intends – finally – to star in the Bundesliga. The enthronement of Jürgen Klinsmann at the head of the team last month testifies to the new ambitions of Hertha who would also consider recruiting Mario Götze (Dortmund) and Julian Draxler (Paris St-Germain).
Captain of Arsenal at the start of the season but degraded after his stormy outing on October 27 against Crystal Palace, Granit Xhaka will leave a mixed impression on the Emirates. He quickly established himself as one of the essential cogs of the team but he failed in his first three seasons to hoist his team in the Champions League. The fourth should not depart from the rule with a current 11th place in the Premier League ranking even if a qualification through a success in the Europa League remains possible.
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