Five realistic Arsenal alternatives to Xhaka

Robin Bairner

9 Feb 2022 04:33 CST
3 min read

Granit Xhaka: I am proud Roma boss Jose Mourinho wants to sign me from Arsenal — © ProShots

Granit Xhaka’s future at Arsenal appears in question once again, with Rome reportedly eyeing a summer move for the Switzerland international.

Article continues under the video

Xhaka’s name has rarely strayed far from the headlines when it comes to football transfer news, with the 29-year-old regularly being embroiled in controversy.

Indeed, Mikel Arteta welcomed the gritty midfielder back from an exile imposed by former manager Unai Emery, yet Xhaka has struggled to reward the Spaniard’s loyalty. Issues with indiscipline remain, with a red card against Manchester City earlier this season infuriating his manager.

Arsenal, though, have plenty of attainable alternatives to Xhaka, despite missing out on Lyon’s Bruno Guimaraes in January, with the Brazil international instead moving to Newcastle.

Arthur

Arthur has shown flashes of his excellence at Juventus, though he has struggled to hit the heights expected of him when he initially moved to Europe with Barcelona in 2018 . Made a big-money move to Juve two years later and under the right coaching and in the right system could flourish. No doubt, though, there is an element of risk to this move, with the Brazilian having spent a career flattering to deceive.

Franck Kessie

Out of contract in the summer, the Ivory Coast international star is regarded as having a big future in the game. The competition, however, for Kessie is bound to be intense. Indeed, some reports suggest that he has already committed his future to Barcelona, where he is seen as a long-term solution as a midfield sentinel.

Ruben Neves

Portugal international Ruben Neves has excelled in the Premier League with Wolves and potentially feels that it is time he took a step up. Under contract until 2024, he will not come cheap, especially as several other top Premier League clubs, most notably Manchester United, are evaluating him. Comes with the added bonus of excellent long-range shooting.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is potentially the most attainable of the players on this list, having become a star at the Emirates after working his way through the Southampton youth system. He is out of contract in the summer of 2023 and set to leave Liverpool after five years at Anfield. During this time he has transformed from an attacker to a midfielder, yet he has struggled to hold down a regular spot. Lacks the star quality of other options but could be a good backup choice.

Youri Tielemans

Tielemans has long appeared on the shortlists of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, and that has not changed. He remains a dynamic midfielder with a wide-ranging skillset, which makes him highly attractive. With Leicester stagnating and rumours over Brendan Rodgers’ future, this could be his time to move on.