Arsenal are expected to see Granit Xhaka and a few other key first-team players leave during the ongoing transfer window and manager Mikel Arteta has just provided an update on some of them.
Gunners midfielder Granit Xhaka has been linked with a move to AS Roma for the longest time but the deal has been taking ages to be wrapped up. As per the updates, Arsenal are refusing to lower their demands for the Swiss international and now Mikel Arteta has revealed that Xhaka is not going to leave the club.
The manager told the club’s official website: “Granit is going to stay with us. He’s a player that we rate and value so much, he’s a key member of our squad.
“He’s trained two days. He wanted to play today and I think it’s very clear commitment from his side that he wants to be here.”
This is a major blow for Roma boss Jose Mourinho since he has been eyeing a move for the Arsenal midfielder for a few months now.
But, while Xhaka will remain at the Emirates next season, Arteta has hinted that a deal could be struck for Hector Bellerin as well as Joe Willock.
When asked about Bellerin and Willock, the manager said: “I don’t know. I’m going to coach them and train them, and respect and look after everybody because they are our players.
“Hopefully they can have their minds here and prepare here because they are Arsenal players and our job is to make them as good as we can.”
Bellerin has been linked with a move to Inter Milan but like the Granit Xhaka deal, Arsenal are not ready to let the right-back leave on a bargain deal either.
Joe Willock has been tipped to return to Newcastle United while Crystal Palace are also interested in signing the 21-year-old.
Now that Granit Xhaka is set to stay at Arsenal, Willock should be allowed to leave and join either Palace or the Magpies in the next few weeks.
