“You will see next week what happens” – Arsenal star responds to rumors of exit after win over Wolves
Arsenal star Granit Xhaka responded to rumors of a potential exit by saying he would make his decision public within a week. The Switzerland captain has been linked to a move to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen and is expected to leave in the summer transfer window.
Granit Xhaka has been an instrumental part of the Arsenal midfield since the 2016-17 season. He has made 297 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions, scoring 23 goals.
The Arsenal midfielder scored a brilliant brace against Wolverhampton Wanderers at home yesterday (May 28). This took his tally to nine goals and seven assists in 47 appearances this season.
He was substituted in the 75th minute and was given a massive, standing ovation by the Emirates faithful in what could be his last appearance for the club. Chants of 'we want you to stay' could be heard echoing around the stadium as he walked off.
Xhaka also took a lap of appreciation around the pitch after the final whistle to take in the fans' reception with his teammates. The Gunners midfielder's contract expires at the end of next season, but he has been linked with a £13 million move to Bayer Leverkusen.
AFTV member Pippa Monique asked Xhaka if he was leaving the club, to which he responded with:
“You will see next week what happens.”
She then asked if the reason he was leaving was his wife, to which he replied:
“It’s not about the missus.”
The full exchange can be viewed on her YouTube channel. According to Bild, Granit Xhaka has been considering a move to the Bundesliga because his wife, Leonita Lekaj, wants to return to Germany to be closer to her family.
Arsenal star drops exit hint amid being linked to joining Newcastle in the summer: Reports
Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney may have dropped an exit hint after he stayed back with the fans and applauded them on his own. This happened after the Gunners defeated Wolves 5-0 yesterday at the Emirates.
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are interested in his services and will offer a £30 million bid for Tierney. It isn't clear if Arsenal will be willing to strengthen another top-four club, however, Tierney will be willing to leave for more game time.
The 25-year-old had previously been an integral part of the Gunners' starting XI, however, he has struggled to find game time this season. He has only featured 36 times in all competitions, scoring once and providing two assists. However, most of these appearances have been from the bench, and he has only played 1458 minutes of football.
Mikel Arteta has preferred Oleksandr Zinchenko to the Scotland international. Arsenal's system has the left-back role have a more inverted position in the build-up, however, Tierney's strength comes from width.