The Athletic is writing that Granit Xhaka may not go away the membership this summer time – and that might be a welcome transfer by Arsenal.

There’s plenty of benefit in protecting the Swiss. He’s a frontrunner within the dressing room, he suits the system, he can play a number of positions with out criticism, and he’s been a loyal soldier of Arteta.

I don’t consider it although.

This appears like an Arsenal-shaped leak designed to push Leverkusen into spending correct cash to land one of many top-performing 8s in Europe final season. Granit was saying his goodbyes within the dressing room on the finish of final season, he bowed out with grace, there’s no method he’s passing up a 4-year deal at 30 years outdated.  We can’t be giving him away on a ‘thanks for the reminiscences’ low cost. If Chelsea pays £30m to convey Auba BACK to the Premier League, we will land an excellent charge for a extra timeless participant.

One participant we haven’t spoken a lot about is Matty Turner. USMNTs #1 didn’t get many minutes final season, and it’s clear what he lacks in his recreation, we’d like in a backup. His passing moved up quite a few ranges over the past season, however I’m unsure it’d maintain up if Ramsdale was out for a protracted time period. In some unspecified time in the future, the USMNT folks should search for minutes. Turner is a superb penalty saver, he has an enormous Premier League body, and he’s a high shot-stopper. Looks like the suitable type of participant to flip if a bid got here in. All the time value noting Nick Pope is common with the ball at his toes however he’s nonetheless England’s number one and a high Premier League keeper. Identical with Bernd Leno who was mainly the number one motive Fulham stayed up final season.

Cesc Fabregas introduced his retirement.

What a participant.

He actually felt like a revolutionary kind within the Premier League. He lacked tempo, energy, and peak… however the boy completely dominated. He was pure pleasure to observe. His passing was fairly gorgeous and his output in direction of the tip of his tenure was unequalled. Outdoors being a world-class footballer, he was additionally an excellent human. By no means caught up in a scandal, by no means stated the flawed factor within the media, and at all times appeared to like The Arsenal… till he broke our hearts and left for Barca in a pitiful deal.

The most important disgrace of Cesc’s profession is that Wenger by no means put expertise round him that might have given mission youth the jolt to the subsequent stage it wanted. You may say the cash wasn’t there, however all of us noticed it accruing yearly. Mikel Arteta coming to the identical membership with the identical management cajoled the membership into behaving like a correct establishment… Wenger simply wasn’t involved in rattling cages. He needed to take down Metropolis and Chelsea on a funds and that was fantastic with an possession group that was unambitious as a result of they had been allowed to be. Wenger most popular energy at a reduction versus pushing to get what he wanted to succeed. Longevity over a second wind of glory.

That meant Arsenal botched a era of elite youngsters as a result of we surrounded them with gamers like Seb Squillaci.

I cherished Cesc. His rat tail coiffure. His mullet. His means in tight areas. His outrageous imaginative and prescient. His targets. Working from the midway line to attain towards Spurs. He was actually, actually particular. Blissful retirement to the person that received all of it!

One other legend of the sport – Nico Pepe, is as soon as once more on the agenda. His contract of neverending size, nonetheless hasn’t expired, and Good don’t have to purchase him. He’s coming again to coaching and Arsenal followers are as soon as once more asking ‘ought to we give him one other go?

NO.

Our solely hope for Nico is Saudi. Nobody else in world soccer would pay him £150k every week. It’s a disgrace, he’s a gifted boy who couldn’t discover consistency… however there’s no likelihood we convey him again in from the chilly. He’s exiting as a flop, doubtless on a free switch within the yr 2076.

Are you able to consider that Raul Sanllehi is within the working for a job at Everton? I’ll put it on the market – he’s the WORST rent within the historical past of Arsenal. I can not consider he was allowed to slink out the backdoor with ‘what an excellent job’ platitudes and no massive exposé on his dire work at Arsenal. Everton wants assist – who may presumably be recommending him as an choice for coming in? Simply goes to indicate, nobody is ever actually canceled – he’s a main instance of what shamelessness can convey to you within the lovely recreation. Right here’s a reminder of his work if you already know any Everton followers.

Okay, that’s me achieved. See you within the feedback. Take a look at our newest podcast under.