Arsenal: Gunners agree deal with Bayer Leverkusen for Granit Xhaka sale, with Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber set for medicals
Bayer Leverkusen have agreed a deal to sign Granit Xhaka from Arsenal.
The fee that will take the midfielder from north London to the Bundesliga is worth €25m.
Xhaka – who made 297 appearances across seven seasons for the Gunners – had entered the final year of his contract at the Emirates Stadium and turns 31 in September.
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A formal announcement is expected in the next 24 hours.
meanwhile, Sky Sports News has been told Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber will have their Arsenal medicals over the next 72 hours after deals were agreed with West Ham United and Ajax.
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Personal terms for both players have been agreed in principle and both could be Arsenal players by the start of next week.
It would take Arsenal’s spending in this window beyond £200m – further proof of the backing manager Mikel Arteta is receiving from Edu and the board.
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Football finance expert Kieran Maguire says that Arsenal’s seemingly enhanced willingness to spend is a ‘reward’ for Mikel Arteta
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire says Arsenal’s seemingly enhanced willingness to spend is a ‘reward’ for Mikel Arteta.
“Arsenal are actually in a very strong position when it comes to spending,” he told Sky Sports News. The reason for that is they have managed to get their wages under control.
“Arsenal’s wages are lower than they were in 2018. They are £150m to a £170m less than Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City. That has given them the flexibility to go into the market and buy new players without having to worry too much.
“Plus, they have got the additional benefits of Champions League matches coming in, premium prices and the minimum I would say prize money of £50m from being participants.
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“So, you factor that all together and they’ve probably still got a bit of leeway in terms of what they can spend over this present window.”
When asked if there’s been a strategy change at Arsenal, he added: “Yes. They had a retrenchment. They went through some fallow years when they weren’t qualifying for the Champions League.
“They have managed to get rid of high earners, the likes of Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang off that payroll, and that has given them the ability to now go into the market and be very competitive and try to match other clubs.
“Arsenal used to be known as the Bank of England club. They’ve always been well run financially, and I think this change in terms of spending is a reward for Mikel Arteta in terms of his ability to get them into those Champions League places again, which means so much in terms of enhanced revenue.”
Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports
Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumors in our dedicated Transfer Center blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
