Waving goodbyes to Arsene Wenger will not have been easy for the Arsenal fans but they have a whole new era for their football club to look forward to, starting from the next season. The Gunners have replaced the Frenchman with Unai Emery, who has already started scouting for players that fit into his system.
But he will also have to keep an eye on the future of star players currently at the club, who might be tempted to quit this summer. But one such player, who has now extended his Emirates stay is Granit Xhaka.
Having joined Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach back in 2016, the Swiss international singed on a deal that was set to expire in 2020 but the Gunners are showing intent in keeping him at the club and have now extended his stay till 2023.
The news was announced with Xhaka addressing Arsenal fans in a video, saying, Hi Gunners. Here’s the Granit. I’m happy and proud to sign a new contract with Arsenal and I hope for good results in the future.’
He is currently a crucial part of the Swiss international side in the World Cup in Russia and was one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League last season. He featured in each of the 38 league games for Arsenal last season and it is now evident that he is an integral part of the plans Unai Emery has at Arsenal.
Prone to making some rough tackles, the 25-year old is an intelligent player with gifted technique. He is a hard-working player, happy to throw himself on the line and acting as the last line of defence before the backline, he is pretty effective.
He has a thunderous left-foot that can unleash testing shots from long range while his ability to turn defence into attack quickly has been crucial for Wenger’s style of play last season. He is a robust presence at both ends of the field and is a modern-day CDM, perfect for Emery to start his stint in London.
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He has loads of experience under his belt, and adds a different dimension to the Arsenal midfield, with the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere adding creativity to the side in the middle of the park.
At his age, he will only improve as a player and if he can find more consistency next season, there are very few players in his role that are better than him at the moment in Europe. He has his own weaknesses but is a definite asset to have in the side and his contract extension will come as a huge boost for Arsenal.
