Hertha Berlin have agreed the principles of a loan deal for Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka with a view to a £25m permanent move, but it is still dependent on Mikel Arteta’s say-so to go through in January.
The Premier League club had given Xhaka permission to sort out his future after the controversy in November that saw him stripped of the captaincy, with a general acceptance he needed a change of scene.
The Swiss international’s camp held discussions with Hertha Berlin, who are about to embark on an ambitious and expansive new project after 50 per cent of the club was bought by investor Lars Windhorst. Among their other targets are Julian Draxler and Mario Gotze.
Arsenal have been willing to let Xhaka go on loan with a view to negotiating a permanent deal at a later date, but the arrival of Arteta has just delayed any moves as he seeks to assess his squad.
The new manager is said to like Xhaka, but is also conscious that the player could do with time away from the club. Arteta doesn’t want to leave himself short in midfield, though, and a move will only be sanctioned if he is content with the options he has or Arsenal themselves bring in an alternative.
1/22 Bernd Leno – 4 (out of 10)
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2/22 Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 7
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3/22 Calum Chambers – 7
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4/22 David Luiz – 7
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5/22 Bukayo Saka – 6
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6/22 Lucas Torreira – 6
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7/22 Matteo Guendouzi – 7
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8/22 Reiss Nelson – 6
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9/22 Mesut Ozil – 8
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10/22 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 8
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11/22 Alexandre Lacazette – 6
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12/22 Kepa Arrizabalaga – 6
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13/22 Cesar Azpilicueta – 7
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14/22 Kurt Zouma – 6
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15/22 Antonio Rudiger – 6
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16/22 Fikayo Tomori – 6
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17/22 Emerson Palmieri – 6
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18/22 N’Golo Kante – 7
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19/22 Mateo Kovacic – 7
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20/22 Mason Mount – 7
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21/22 Willian – 8
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22/22 Tammy Abraham – 8
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1/22 Bernd Leno – 4 (out of 10)
EPA
2/22 Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 7
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3/22 Calum Chambers – 7
REUTERS
4/22 David Luiz – 7
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5/22 Bukayo Saka – 6
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6/22 Lucas Torreira – 6
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7/22 Matteo Guendouzi – 7
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8/22 Reiss Nelson – 6
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9/22 Mesut Ozil – 8
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10/22 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 8
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11/22 Alexandre Lacazette – 6
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12/22 Kepa Arrizabalaga – 6
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13/22 Cesar Azpilicueta – 7
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14/22 Kurt Zouma – 6
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15/22 Antonio Rudiger – 6
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16/22 Fikayo Tomori – 6
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17/22 Emerson Palmieri – 6
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18/22 N’Golo Kante – 7
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19/22 Mateo Kovacic – 7
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20/22 Mason Mount – 7
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21/22 Willian – 8
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22/22 Tammy Abraham – 8
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The club’s injury problems have also complicated the situation, although there is confidence the deal will eventually be done.
Arteta addressed Xhaka’s probable exit following the home defeat against Chelsea, which the 27-year-old missed through illness, and admitted that he “hopes” he still wants to play for Arsenal even though a move away from the club appears inevitable between now and the start of next season.
