Arsenal
Liverpool Hold Talks With Agent Of £37m Star Who Recently Hinted At Arsenal Move
Liverpool have held talks with the agent of a £37m-rated Swiss midfielder who’s recently hinted he’d like to join Arsenal. See all the details here.
With the winter transfer window in full swing, manager’s are working hard trying to strengthen their squads ahead of the second half of the season. Today, Liverpool join Arsenal in the race for Granit Xhaka…
Liverpool have held formal talks with the agent of Borussia Monchengladbach star and Arsenal target Granit Xhaka about a potential summer move to Anfield, according to the Mirror.
Xhaka has developed in to one of the most promising midfielders in the Bundesliga and has become a permanent fixture in the Gladbach team since joining the club from Swiss champions FC Basel back in 2012.
The 23-year-old’s potential has caught the eye of some top Premier League clubs with the Mirror reporting last week that Arsenal were showing a keen interest in signing the Swiss international – who they say Gladbach value at close to £37m.
Speculation over a move to the Emirates intensified after Xhaka hinted recently that he had his eye on Gunners’ midfielder Francis Coquelin’s No.34 shirt. He’s quoted as saying by the Mirror:
“That was my first professional number at Basel. It’s even tattooed on my back,” Xhaka said.
“I would also like to wear it in the future. It was also here in Gladbach, with Amin Younes. And at Arsenal Coquelin has it.
“I’ve spoken with him, he would like to take another number!”
“I have a childhood dream, that is the Premier League,”
“Whether I play two or a hundred games in England, I would like to eventually make this childhood dream come true.”
However, it looks like Arsenal are now going to face some stiff competition as the Mirror are now citing a report coming from German publication Bild that claims Liverpool held talks with Xhaka’s agent, Andy Gross, last month over a potential summer move to Anfield.
The newspaper suggests that Jurgen Klopp has made Xhaka his No.1 summer transfer target and Gladbach are expected to listen to offers for the player at the end of the season if they fail to secure a Champions League spot.
With Joe Allen’s long-term future in doubt, Liverpool are likely to need another central midfielder this summer and Xhaka would be an excellent addition if Klopp is able to win the race for his signature.
READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Liverpool transfer news
However, Arsenal will be tough competition for the Merseysiders as Arsene Wenger appears to have identified Xhaka as a potential replacement for Mikel Arteta – who’s set to move in to a coaching role when his contract expires in June.
Nothing is expected to happen in January so we’ll have to see how things develop over the next few months, but Xhaka would be a superb buy if either Arsenal or Liverpool could get a deal agreed with Gladbach this summer.
