Arsenal star could move to Serie A side in swap deal - Reports
AS Roma are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka.
Newly appointed AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho is desperate to sign the Switzerland international and is willing to offer Arsenal two players in exchange for him.
According to Calciomercato, AS Roma are prepared to offer either Cengiz Unter or Amadou Diawara in exchange for Granit Xhaka after Arsenal rejected their £13 million bid for the midfielder.
Under was once one of the biggest prospects in Serie A. The Turkish midfielder spent the 2020-21 season on loan at Leicester City and made 19 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Diawara, on the other hand, has made 28 appearances for AS Roma in all competitions this season. However, the 23-year-old has reportedly been deemed surplus to requirements by Jose Mourinho.
Granit Xhaka joined Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach in a deal worth £30 million in 2016. He initially struggled to adapt to the speed and physicality of the Premier League but soon became a key member of the Gunners' starting line-up.
Arsenal's eighth-place finish in the Premier League table this season has forced the club to plan a squad overhaul this summer. Mikel Arteta is reportedly looking to sign a top-quality midfielder to partner Thomas Partey in the middle of the park next season. The club could, therefore, sell Granit Xhaka this summer to raise funds for new signings.
Arsenal will be keen to keep hold of Granit Xhaka as Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira look set to leave the club
Arsenal will look to sell a number of their fringe players this summer in order to raise funds and create space in the squad for new signings.
Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira, Reiss Nelson, Ainsley-Maitland Niles and Joe Willock have all been linked with moves away from the north London club this summer.
This could force Arsenal to keep hold of Granit Xhaka. The former Monchengladbach midfielder has two years left on his contract with the Gunners. He recently revealed that he is currently "100% focused on the national team" and is not concerned about his future at the Emirates.