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It appears that Arsene Wenger is finally learning! As Arsenal look to be going all out this summer for one big final onslaught for the Premier League title that has eluded them for over a decade before Wenger leaves.
Granit Xhaka is looking like he will be the Gunners’ first major summer signing, with Le Professeur happy to depart with nearly £35million for the Switzerland international.
What will be refreshing for Gooners is the fact that Wenger is clearly open to changing his tact in the transfer market. The Arsenal manager is paying Borussia Mönchengladbach their full asking price for their midfielder now, rather than waiting for Xhaka’s £25million release fee clause to kick in at the end of the season and face further competition for his signature.
Xhaka is a relatively unknown player, so what exactly are Arsenal getting?
Regular Switzerland International
The 23-year-old currently has 40 caps and counting to his name and is almost a certain starter for the Swiss at this summer’s Euro 2016.
He Looks Like Fellow Countryman Xherdan Shaqiri
No? Just me who thinks that, then…
Bastian Schweinsteiger 2.0
Manchester United's Bastian Schweinsteiger to feature in new Clash of Kings advert [Bild]https://t.co/T7lR5PDUro pic.twitter.com/jrztPfL6oR
— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) May 6, 2016
Former Switzerland gaffer Ottmar Hitzfeld has previously likened Xhaka to a “young Schweinsteiger” – presumably the one at Bayern Munich rather than the one at Manchester United!
He Ain’t No Angel?
Xhaka has been sent off three times in 26 Bundesliga games this season – is he that ‘warrior’ in the middle, that pushes the boundaries, that Arsenal haven’t had since Patrick Vieira?
Xhaka Only Deals In Stunners
Although goals aren’t a major part of the Switzerland international’s game, when he does score they tend to be absolute bangers! The 23-year-old has won Mönchengladbach’s goal of the season two campaigns in a row!
A fine reader of the game
The former FC Basel midfielder has made 72 interceptions in Germany’s top flight this season, which is more than Francis Coquelin (the player Xhaka would most likely replace in Wenger’s starting XI).
