Arsenal Finally Lodge A Bid For Bundesliga Star, But Is It The Right Move?

After drawing their game against West Ham United this past Saturday, Arsenal’s season is all but over as they have too many points to make up if they are to win the title. The fans will once again be disappointed as the team did so well in the first half of the season only to bottle it in the last few months.

For time immemorial, Arsenal have flattered to deceive when it really matters. The upcoming transfer window will provide the chance for the club to strengthen and the Gunners need players who can perform consistently over the span of a whole season and not just in the first five to six months.

One of the names linked with Arsenal of late is Granit Xhaka. The Swiss international has had a solid spell at Borussia Monchengladbach and could make the move to North London. Reports indicate that the Gunners have made an opening bid of £24m for the midfielder.

Arsenal have no shortage of midfielders at the moment but the injury records are a big concern. Jack Wilshere, Francis Coquelin, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and new recruit Mohammed Elneny form a solid squad and it’s somewhat hard to see where Xhaka will fit in if he indeed signs for the club.

Playing in the central midfield, Xhaka rose to prominence under former Monchengladbach manager Lucien Favre and put in some solid displays alongside Christoph Kramer that resulted in Gladbach finishing the season third in the table. This season, Xhaka recaptured his form after a poor opening month or so.

The 23-year old’s strongest position is central midfield from where he can break forward and play a box to box role. Gladbach predominantly play on the break and Xhaka’s passing is a key element when they break forward. Apart from his passing, Xhaka’s positioning tends to be good which is why he plays the central midfield role so that he can intercept the ball and get his team on the front foot.

His potential weaknesses include the eagerness to make a tackle. He has faced disciplinary issues in the past and has accumulated an astonishing 28 yellow cards in the last three years. In the Premier League, he can ill-afford to make mistimed tackles as lot of teams tend to play on the break against Arsenal.

The fee touted is perhaps normal for a player like Xhaka who has been consistent in the last few seasons. The notion of game time could be a problem at Arsenal, though.

Called from newsnow.co.uk