Doc yeah.. even if you do want him sold (I don't)... now is probably the worse time financially to sell... next year he will definitely get more games/minutes and we can re assess at the end of the season.

This is how I see it. I think his Arsenal future's very murky but at the very least an injury free season would probably boost his valuation, and in an ideal world, he'd remind us what he's all about.

goon I do feel like with the midfield additions mooted for this summer, there's only room for one of Vieira and ESR though.

Sometimes it can be good to have too little room, there was some sense of entitlement to opportunities this season, think I'd rather see Arteta proactively rotating more, but fewer implied promises to the players.

      I must say I never thought I'd be sad to see Granit go, but the right decision I think. Feels like something that might have been pre-agreed.

        Given he's got a year left, it's not a terrible deal (also not a great deal). Glad he's been able to leave on somewhat of a high.

        Always suspected he will leave after this season, especially when it was said we wanted a minimum of 2 new CMs.

        And it always felt he wanted to try something new since whoring himself to Mourinho those years ago

          Kind of poetic that when he joined we fell out of the CL the very next season and now that he is leaving we have just got back in.

          He has had his redemption arc, plenty of ups and downs but from his point of view I can understand why he wants to move. Closer to home and a longer contract.

          Clrnc I'd also add that I think from everything we've heard this season about Xhaka's role in the team plus the fact he's now moving on with rumours of two very different players incoming, that Arteta has always been very aware of his limitations and it was always a case of not if but when.

          Glad he's rebuilt a relationship with the fans (which truly is to his credit) and worked hard to find a role that has made him useful but also happy that we're finally upgrading.

            Deserves a respectful send off. Think it would nicely tie the bow on a challenging tenure, but one that should be respected in the end.

            Glad the final game is at home.

            Had a good season, but it's the right call. Wish him well.

            15m seems low but I think this is a reflection of Xhaka and Arteta's agreement that was referred to in the past. It's a shame to lose him as an option but I think we can cope.

            I hated him for 90 percent of his time here but credit where credit is due for this last season. He acted like a model pro and for once was an actual leader.

            I wish him well.

            He wasn't good enough in his first couple of seasons but was excellent in his last two. Not perfect but replacing him won't be easy.

            Xhaka's biggest criticism this season is that he's not creative enough around the box, but assuming Rice is his replacement, that issue won't be addressed.

            In the end, Xhaka has many assists as Odegaard in the league, both at 7. So I would say a creative 8 would be ideal, but Rice isn't that.

            I suspect we will go through a transitory period as we phase out Xhaka and Partey. I hope the club is right in Rice and Caicedo being the answers because I don't think they are superior.

              Excellent player. Recon Alonso sees a lot of his game in Xhaka’s

              Anyway it’s exciting to see what’s ahead for that role and who will come in to fill it

              Now that we're good again, watch how we'll suddenly get good fees for our players. And people will talk about Edu improving in this regard, when it's just that we have better surplus players to sell and are selling from a position of strength.

              it's the right time for xhaka to go. he's coming off his best season for arsenal and leaves on good terms. we're levelling up as a club and he always had a bit of a ceiling as to what he could deliver in that LCM role.

              I'm actually a bit excited now. the midfield revamp that's been overdue for about 10 years might actually be afoot

                daredevil what makes you think we'll set up in the same way when Xhaka leaves? Maybe I'm misunderstanding but I'm really confused by the notion that we need to get like-for-like replacements when Xhaka was clearly a compromise in how we set our midfield up this season.

                My expectation is that by replacing Xhaka our midfielders will be transition to being two-way players, meaning the need for creative output from his replacement won't be as great (and to be honest, if I remember the assists he provided were more about team structures rather than defence splitting passes, so I wouldn't be concerned that another person could come in and do the same as needed).

                    Gazza M it’s strange how we always seem to have one or two positions which are lacking or where we could instantly improve the eleven

                    Last time I felt we had a complete first team was the invincibles. Since then we’ve either needed a goalkeeper, a commanding centreback, balanced fullbacks, a defensive midfielder, or a striker who can take the game by the scruff of the neck

                        Don Pacifico what makes you think we'll set up in the same way when Xhaka leaves? Maybe I'm misunderstanding but I'm really confused by the notion that we need to get like-for-like replacements when Xhaka was clearly a compromise in how we set our midfield up this season.

                        I don’t think that’s an accurate reading at all. The system wasn’t the compromise, it was Xhaka. Don’t take it from me, here’s Arteta talking about it:

                        “The squad wanted to evolve to another level and be more dominant and have more resources in the final third to attack and to score more goals. We needed to make that change.

                        “I spoke to him at the end of the season and said, ‘I need to unlock something in your brain because you’re so comfortable and confident playing in this area that you have forgot that actually what is going to win us the game is here and the team now demands somebody here, so unless you unlock that I’m going to have to do something about it’.

                        Xhaka was just a stop gap to bigger things. Arteta has also talked about playing Vieira and ESR there several times and actually played them too. It’s clear that he wants to turn that left 8 role into something productive.

                        That being said, I think the merits of having someone like Rice doing it are there too. Win the ball high, drive with the ball and commit players, good in tight spaces, technical and athletic. It will make us more dynamic than your typical creative 8.

                            goon for what it's worth, I think we're basically saying the same thing in so much as we're replacing Xhaka like-for-like (and Arteta's quote you referenced was exactly the one I had in mind). Where we potentially diverge is that I think part of the reason Partey plays the role he does is partly to cover Xhaka's deficiencies.

                            Therefore, my expectation is that when we replace Xhaka, both his and Partey's roles will evolve somewhat versus what they were this season. But the emphasis will be the same in terms of facilitating more attacking play.

                            • goon replied to this.

                                Would have actually kept him for his final year as a solid reliable squad option and sold Partey (for obvious reasons).

                                Hope this means we are signing both Rice and Caicedo. Partey can sit his arse on the bench next season.