Transfer News

ARSENAL are ready to trigger a 12-month extension clause in Granit Xhaka’s contract to keep him at the Emirates until 2025.The 30-year-old Swiss international has emerged as one of the most influential players in Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing squad this season.
Granit Xhaka has become a prolific figure at Arsenal under Mikel ArtetaCredit: Getty
Now Arteta wants to reward that contribution by effectively tying the player to Arsenal for the rest of his career.
And that decision will not be affected by the club‘s ambitious plans to launch an £80million bid for West Ham skipper Declan Rice in the summer.
Xhaka’s current deal is set to expire next year but there is an option already in place to extend to 2025 with the agreement of both parties.
And now that he is settled at the Emirates after all his previous problems, club officials are confident that there will be no problems convincing him to prolong his stay.
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No-one appreciates Xhaka’s contribution more than Arteta, who has handed him a more attacking role in his team this season and picked him to start all but one of their Premier League games so far.
One of his first jobs on being appointed Arsenal manager in December 2019 was to persuade Xhaka to drop his plans to quit the club after being stripped of the captain’s armband by former boss Unai Emery.
Xhaka has endured a stormy relationship with the Emirates fans ever since they booed him off when he was subbed by Emery during a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in October 2019.
But Arteta immediately recognised the player’s value on the pitch and in the dressing-room and handed him a lucrative new contract in  2020.
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And now even the Emirates regulars have taken Xhaka to their hearts and sing his name on a regular basis.
Signed by Arsene Wenger in a £35m deal from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016, Xhaka is now one of the club’s longest-serving players.
And his experience and professionalism have been an important example for Arsenal’s young stars to follow.
Yet Arteta is still planning to bring in at least one more central midfield player this summer despite bringing in £13m Jorginho from Chelsea in January.
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Arsenal are set to offer Granit Xhaka a new contract at the EmiratesCredit: Rex
The club only turned to Jorginho in the last days of the transfer window after a club record £75m bid for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo was rejected.
But now their primary target is England international Rice, who is also admired by Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.
West Ham boss David Moyes has claimed it would take a British record fee in excess of £100m to convince the club to sell their 24-year-old captain.
But Rice is ready to test himself in the Champions League and knows that Arsenal are willing to make him a cornerstone of their plans. More

ARSENAL are already looking ahead to the summer transfer window, according to sporting director Edu.The Gunners have put together the unlikeliest of Premier League title charges this season, sitting five points clear of Manchester City with 11 games remaining.
Arsenal are already making big plans ahead of the summer transfer windowCredit: Getty
One of the many positive areas for the north London side this campaign has been their recruitment – both last summer and in the winter window.
The arrivals of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, as well as Jorginho and Leandro Trossard back in January, have transformed Mikel Arteta’s team into serious challengers.
And even with the pressure of holding off Pep Guardiola’s City in an incredible Prem run-in, Edu says plans are being put in place to strengthen the squad further.
Arsenal are heavily linked with a move for West Ham and England midfielder Declan Rice, who could cost upwards of £100m.
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Asked when planning starts for the summer, Edu – who won two Prem titles during his time at Arsenal – said: “It’s already started because you know what’s happening in the market, everybody is doing stuff.
“You have to plan with people as well just to be prepared so when you go again in the summer you are very prepared.”
He continued: “I always make myself comfortable going into the transfer window when we’ve prepared how to face those challenges.
In the Premier League there’s a lot of clubs and a lot of good managers so the competition is hard. So as soon as you prepare well, you feel comfortable.
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“So, we went into the winter period really, really well prepared and then we started to make some quick and important decisions.
“So far it’s helping the team and the team’s performing well so that’s good.”
Edu has previously spoken of the five-year plan he put in place when returning to the club at boardroom level – suggesting this would be the season to judge Arteta on.
So far, the Brazilian has been proven right. He added: “I think we’re in the right place in terms of playing well.
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Arsenal chief Edu and manager Mikel Arteta are already planning transfersCredit: Reuters
“Of course, the performance of the team and the way we’re playing is special. I see around us everybody wants to follow us. Everybody wants to watch us.
“I receive a lot of messages from Brazil and South America and different places which is very nice to receive.
“We are very excited with where we are at the moment, but we have to understand there’s still a journey to go, still things to do.
“Of course, we’re happy to be in moment we are now, but we have to understand there’s still things to go to keep going.”
One final push is required to finish the job. Having narrowly missed out on a top four spot last season to Tottenham, the initial target back in August was to return to the Champions League for the first time since 2017.
Has the expectation changed? Edu explained: “Every day we train, prepare in the best way possible and think in the best way possible.
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“We don’t think about anything, just the next game, how we can improve ourselves, how we can be better individually and as a squad as well.
“Then come the end of the season we’ll see where we’re going to be. So, our intention is really to live week by week, game by game, enjoy the games and try to be the best version possible for the season.” More