Borussia Monchengladbach Swiss central midfielder Granit Xhaka is closing on to a move to the FA Cup defending champions Arsenal according to reports.
The midfielder has been ever present in a Gladbach side that last season qualified for the Champions League under Swiss coach Lucien Favre. Although the Swiss club finished bottom of their Champions League group that comprised the likes of Sevilla, Juventus and Manchester City, this season, the German club sit 5th in the Bundesliga with 45 points and a goal difference of 12 , four points adrift of Hertha Berlin who occupy the final Champions League spot.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal are offering £20 million while Gladbach are asking for £30million for the player that was signed from FC Basel . The report concluded that the three parties (Xhaka, Gladbach and Arsenal are hopeful the deal will go through).
The midfielder 23, who was dubbed the ‘Young Schweinsteiger’ by former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund Coach Ottmar Hitzfield has scored six goals in 106 Bundesliga games since his move in 2012 in a €8.2 million deal from Basel. Xhaka was named Gladbach’s player of the season after making 34 appearances in the Bundesliga (All Gladbach’s games that season).
The midfielder is a good passer of long balls and would make an excellent midfield partner to Francis Coquelin who loves to tackle. Once the deal is completed, the likes of Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey will then be freed to operate further up the pitch.
