5 things Arsenal fans should know about Granit Xhaka
Make no mistake, Arsenal desperately need players to replenish the squad. Having not invested in an outfield player last summer – the only club in Europe’s top five leagues to do so – Wenger eventually made just one signing in Mohamed Elneny. With the experienced trio of Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini set to leave, Wenger is short of midfielders.
Enter Granit Xhaka. The 23-year-old Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder has been linked with Arsenal as early as January this year. And reports suggest he is closer to signing with the north London club this summer.
But not many fans know much about the Bundesliga player. We list out a few things fans must know about the Swiss international.
1) What is Xhaka’s best position?
At Borussia Mönchengladbach, Xhaka has become a midfield general in the centre of the park. He is a very good passer of the ball – one of the best in the Bundesliga for short passes – and is not averse to playing long diagonal passes from deep to find his wingers or attacking full-backs.
Xhaka also makes himself a nuisance to midfielders by blocking the passing channels and intercepting passes before teams threaten to attack. Standing at 6’1”, he is also strong in the air to deal with aerial duels in midfield. His spatial awareness and movement off the ball will also be beneficial to Arsenal’s style of play.
He would be the ideal partner for someone like Santi Cazorla in midfield. While Cazorla is focused on building attacks and circulating the ball, Xhaka can do his bit while also breaking down attacks and even initiate his own when the need arises.
When Ottmar Hitzfeld was in charge of Switzerland, he spoke about Xhaka and likened him to German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
“I see similarities between Granit and Bastian Schweinsteiger, whom I promoted to the first team at Bayern Munich when he was 18,” Hitzfeld had said. “He is extremely mature, highly intelligent, reads the game well and has good technical skills.”
Xhaka also has a mean left foot with which he has scored a few piledrivers, sometimes from more than 30 yards away!