Leadership, physicality, aggression and aerial strength are much needed qualities in midfield. On top of that his passing looks top class. Hope we get him.
Granit Xhaka
Not for 34M which are the figures being bandied about.
otfgoon wrote:Some of those passes are cray.
only santi can hit those types of accurate raking flat passes
And Santi does it rarely because it's not his bag.
Xhaka will add a completely different dimension to our team, even the fact that he will sit deep and collect from the centrebacks will change a lot about how we try to build up play. With the power and accuracy he can hit those 60 yard passes though, we'll have a completely new threat that the opposition will have to worry about. We just need to get a striker that can hurt teams in behind now to really make something of it.
Biggus wrote:Not for 34M which are the figures being bandied about.
Have you watched him Biggus or would you just rather not sign him because he's too expensive? Either way you definitely stared too long into the Wenger mate
Those passes are great, my fear would be Wenger wont allow him make passes like that.
I don't know about that, Wenger doesn't stop Coq from attempting those passes despite him having 1/10th of the accuracy.
Besides, it'd completely go against the idea that Wenger allows his players creative freedom.
If you're buying Xhaka then surely the fact that he can hit a ball like a laser guided missile over 60 yards is one of the main things you're buying him for?
I've heard Wenger talk quite a lot over the years about midifelders we've had improving their long passing. He definitely said it was something he had encouraged Cesc to work on and that once he had improved it made him a better player.
From that video he reminds me of Petit. Stocky, strong, deep lying - yet mobile, good long-passing range.
Biggus wrote:Not for 34M which are the figures being bandied about.
Worried about balancing the books?
I think Biggus meant that the club wouldn't spend that money rather than he wouldn't spend it. Equally ludicrous statement mind you.
He's been making these statements for the last few years.
Biggus 2013 re Ozil: Need your head checked if you believe we'll spend 40m on any player.
Biggus 2014 re Sanchez: Need your head checked if you think we'll spend that kind of money again, Ozil was a one off.
Biggus 2015 re Cech: Need your head checked if you think we'll spend 12m on a 34yr old goalkeeper.
This is definitely done. The key question is will Coquelin give him number 34?
Eh, no, this is definitely not done in my book. Until he is on Arse.com holding up that jersey I'll just treat this as about as done as Higuain. Underestimate Arsenal's ability to fuck up deals at your own peril. 
SportBILD: Granit Xhaka has agreed to join Arsenal. We are set to pay between €40m-€50m for the Gladbach midfielder.
Gladbach's Granit Xhaka: I can imagine playing for Arsenal
Swiss newspaper Blick quote the player as saying, at the press conference today: "As of today I am at Gladbach, but London is a beautiful city, and Arsenal is an awesome club."
This one is done. Just a matter of time until it's on arsenal.com
Hope you are right!
This looks like it's a done deal. Super.
Yep, its done. Love it.
Good stuff.
Another 2 signings to go. One of them better be a striker.
This would represent a great START to the summer...
According to Jan Aage Fjortoft there's a release clause in his contract, which is probably the fee, so it's likely the deal's been done for 2+ months.