Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen have agreed a deal for Granit Xhaka to return to the Bundesliga after seven years in the Premier League.
Fabrizio Romano reports Die Werkself will pour €25 million into the Gunners’ coffers to snap up the Switzerland international.
Mikel Arteta has been open to offloading the 30-year-old, but not before he was able to close the deal to bring star midfielder Declan Rice from West Ham United.
Once Arsenal received the Hammers’ green light to pursue the Englishman’s cross-city transfer, Xhaka’s fate at the Emirates Stadium was sealed.
Throughout his seven-year career at Arsenal, the left-footed playmaker had some ups and downs, yet his overall stint in north London was successful.
He captained the Gunners before having a fallout with former boss Unai Emery and the club faithful that almost forced his departure from the capital.
However, Arteta’s appointment in 2019 enabled Xhaka’s return to the fans’ good grace, throwing his Arsenal career a lifeline, which the player repaid by leaving his heart and soul on the field.
Xhaka clocked up 297 appearances for the London powerhouse, recording 23 goals and 29 assists as he parts with the club as a controversial club legend.
He featured 37 times for the Gunners in the Premier League last season, helping his team make a long-awaited return to the Champions League despite missing out on the title.
Now it’s time for the Swiss star to move on and re-embrace the Bundesliga, having spent four years at Borussia Monchengladbach before swapping Germany for Arsenal in 2016.
Xhaka is not the only high-profile player to touch down in Leverkusen this summer, with Jonas Hofmann also joining the club from Gladbach.
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