Revealed: Arsenal open talks on stunning £65million midfielder deal

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

Published on:

26 Mar 2016, 10:46 am

By Editor Wayne Veysey | Former Evening Standard, Press Association and Goal chief correspondent with 17 years experience of breaking big stories, including exclusives like this

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Arsenal have opened preliminary discussions to sign midfield sensation Granit Xhaka in a £65million deal, Football Insider sources understand.

The Gunners are willing to pay £34million for the central midfielder as well as hand him a five-year, £120,000-a-week contract.

Swiss sensation Xhaka, 23, is on the target list of some of Europe's biggest clubs this summer, with Liverpool and Bayern Munich also among his admirers.

Arsenal are in the market for a proven midfielder who can dominate in the middle of the park in the summer transfer window.

The Gunners signed Mohamed Elneny from Basel in January and are now keen on another graduate from the Swiss club.

Basel academy graduate Xhaka moved to Borussia Mochengladbach in 2012 for £6.75million and has developed into one of the Bundesliga's outstanding midfielders.

He is a mainstay of the Mochengladbach side, making 30 appearances for the team this season.

Deal maker: Wenger is in the market for an A-list midfielder this summer

Arsenal, who will wave goodbye to veteran trio Mathieu Flamini, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky when their contracts expire at the end of the season, are prepared to spend big money to clinch a deal for Xhaka.

The Londoners are ready to make the Switzerland international one of their best-paid players and, including transfer fee and wages, the deal could be worth an eye-watering £65million.

In other Arsenal transfer news, forgotten man Wojciech Szczesny is set for a return to the club after Roma decision.

Arsenal

Granit Xhaka